


Entrapdak Drabbles

by Lady_Kit



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Amnesia, Amnesiac Hordak, Angst, Domestic Fluff, Drabble Collection, Each drabble will be tagged individually, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Past Abuse, Season 5 Spoilers, Very Hordak-centric, drug mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:34:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 25,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24023677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Kit/pseuds/Lady_Kit
Summary: A collection of drabbles focused primarily on Hordak, Entrapta, and their relationship.I’m working through my feelings, so these are probably going to be mostly fluff, hurt/comfort, or angst. Each chapter has the ‘genre’ listed beside the chapter title.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), Hordak & Everyone, Hordak & Imp (She-Ra), Hordak & Wrong Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 437
Kudos: 913





	1. Grief (angst, hurt/comfort)

**Author's Note:**

> Content warning: Grief, amnesia, post-season 5. 
> 
> Summary: Hordak still doesn’t remember who he was. Not fully.
> 
> I’m still feeling these characters out, so forgive me if this isn’t exactly my best work.

76531-SI looked up from their work when—

(the princess? Entrapta? his partner? his master? how was he to refer to her?)

—she stood suddenly. Her eyes were wet, and he straightened, looking around to see what had caused her distress so he could—

(killitdumpitouttheairlockdestroyit)

—remove it. 

“I’m sorry!” she blurted. “I have to—“ She took a breath, shoulders hitching. His hands flexed, and he looked around, unsure what to do with them. “Excuse me. I have to. Leave. I’ll be back! Just—I’ll be back!”

His ears flexed and he cocked his head, but he didn’t know how to express his concern, his desire to help. Before he could make a decision, she was gone, her hair pulling her up through the vents. He was, briefly, reminded of an enemy fleeing battle, and his hearts skittered and skipped. She was his—(?????)—and his dormant battle protocols should not tag her as a target! Even in simile or metaphor. Had Big Brother ever detected such a lapse, he’d have—

Well. 76531-SI would have been sent for reconditioning, as was proper. No clone could turn against his maker. It was a sure sign of lunacy to even think it. He was lucky she wasn’t his Big Brother—

His hearts stopped briefly, then their beat kicked up, hammering harder. He searched the room, expecting his traitorous thoughts to be broadcast to his brothers, expecting them to appear and rebuke him for his obvious faults. But they didn’t appear, and he walked himself through his memories. Big Brother was Gone. Really and truly. Entrapta had graciously offered him a space in her kingdom, allowing him to serve her. (That’s not what she had said. She called him Lab Partner. And friend. But he could not presume the words were more than that—words. Big Brother called them all brothers, after all, and insisted they do the same. But none were foolish enough to presume that was anything other than a kindness he extended to them. Putting more weight in it than that was a sign of deficiency.)

He swallowed and took a breath, re-writing his thoughts. His new master—not a replacement for the old, of course, for who could replace the Sun? Or re-write the Stars?—was troubled. He was her servant. It was his duty to assist her.

Mental knot untangled, he cocked his head, ears twitching as he listened. She was still in the vents. He followed the echo of her passage, walking along the halls until they fell silent. She had to be close. 

He scented the air, grateful that there were so few Etherians on her staff. It was easier to sort her scent from the scent of oil and machinery. He followed it to her bedroom door and waited outside. Then he remembered—these doors were not like the doors of Big Brother’s ship. They would not open to admit welcome parties or remain shut to exclude unwelcome ones.

He had to turn the knob, as Entrapta had shown him. It would be locked if he was not welcome.

He hesitated. But this was part of his purpose, wasn’t it? To assist her. She permitted him that much, even if she denied him the right to fully serve her as his conditioning intended. (She was right to do so. He was invalid, after all. A flawed clone. It was a mercy that he had been allowed to live at all.)

He tried the door and found it opened easily for him. “Princess?”

She whirled to face him. “Hordak?!”

The name—(henamedhimselfhowdarehenamehimselfwormswerenotworthyofNAMES)—set his hearts racing, and he recoiled from it, panic causing his limbs to freeze. “Wait!” Her hair grabbed him and pulled the door closed behind him. He didn’t fight the tendrils, just allowed her to pull him close, even as he tried to settle his hearts. 

(He was 76531-SI. That was his designation. He had been reconditioned after his flawed programming was discovered. Big Brother was Good. He was Merciful. He allowed 76531-SI to live, despite his flaws. The name was nothing to him. Nothing. It meant nothing.)

“I’m sorry,” she said, strands of hair brushing the tears from her cheeks, even as she patted his shoulders and his arms—as if checking him for damage. “Are you okay?”

His ears flattened and he lifted his chin. “I’m fine.” There was a soft growl in his voice, a remnant of his irritation. He had no reason to react to what was, in essence, a word. A stupid, meaningless word. “I came to see if I could assist you. You seemed...upset.”

Her hair uncoiled from him slowly, and she took a step back, forcing a smile. “Oh. You know. Just one of those things. I think there’s a biochemical explanation. I could probably find a way to interrupt the uptake of the chemicals involved or maybe heighten my sensitivity to others, but—“ She faltered. “—all my research indicates that chemical alteration is an inadvisable means of dealing with grief. In the long term, at least. So....” She trailed off, shrugging with her whole upper body—hair, arms, shoulders. 

“I see.” He looked around, noting that her room was messy and disordered, much like her lab. “Is there another means? Something I could assist with?”

She tugged on a lock of hair, turning away from him and pacing. Around him, the tendrils spread out to reorder and reorganize the discarded clothing and personal items scattered about her room, though he could discern no pattern to the new arrangement. “Well...they say that time helps. And-and talking about it, too. But most of my friends don’t really understand why I’m so upset that he’s—gone.” She froze, hands tight around the lock of hair. “And it’s just. It’s complicated—“

“I am here.” She called him a friend. She could talk about it with him, couldn’t she?

“Exactly! You’re here! But you’re not you, you’re—“

She turned, and he cocked his head. Her face crumpled, and she wiped frantically at her face, as if trying to stop the tears. “Ah! I can’t stop crying! I don’t know why!”

He stepped closer, reaching out to run a hand through her hair. She was more receptive to that than to a touch on the hand or body. “Etherians release oxytocin and endorphins while crying, correct?”

She hesitated. “...Yes?”

“Then why are you trying to stop? Those chemicals should naturally counteract the cortisol, with no need to artificially alter your brain chemistry.”

“So, I should just...?”

“Cry.” He continued to run soothing fingers through her hair. “Is it helping?”

She sniffed, hugging herself. “I. I don’t know. My stomach hurts and-and I can’t breathe and—“ She looked at him again. She squeezed her eyes shut, pulling in on herself. “I just. I miss—“ She swallowed. “Him. I miss him. He was my friend. And for a long time, I thought...I thought he’d abandoned me. But he didn’t! And then, when I got back, he was, he was....” She gave him a look that cut him to his core. “Gone.” For a moment, they regarded each other in silence, only the sound her quiet sniffling audible.

“I’m sorry.” It was inadequate. He knew that. 

“Yeah. Me too.” 

He stepped a bit closer, something in him starting to ache. He touched the crystal at his chest, closing his eyes. Something wriggled in the corner of his mind, and the ache grew sharper. “I....”

“H—Partner?” 

He looked down, fingers curling. “I think...I have known grief.”

Her eyes widened. “What? When?” She pressed closer, her hair hovering around them as if ready, at any moment, to dive into action. “You remember something? Anything?”

He hesitated. “I.” His ears flicked down, and his mouth turned downward in a scowl. “I remember feelings. I remember betrayal. And rage and—“ He swallowed hard. “And an ache. Here.” He touched his chest. “I lost someone. Someone important.“

Not his Big Brother. And that was a frightening realization. Whatever he’d lost was more important than—

He shut the thought down, starting to shiver. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “But I think...I know how you feel.”

She was in front of him now, and her arms wrapped tight around his waist. His hands lifted high and he inhaled sharply, unsure what to do with them. Slowly, when she didn’t pull away, he lowered his hands to her shoulders, squeezing. More tears glimmered in her eyes. “Is the oxytocin helping?”

She laughed and hugged him tighter, nodding. For now, he was content to assist her in this way, even if he didn’t fully understand it. 


	2. A gift (angst)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Entrapta has never been interested in politics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: amnesiac Hordak. Horde Prime is a dick. Ambiguously autistic Entrapta. Treating people as property, mistreatment, past abuse.

Entrapta stood, staring at the screen. Queen Glimmer stood at it’s center, her chin lifted and her hands folded neatly in front of her. It was hard, at the best of times, to read people—was she genuinely at ease or just putting on a brave face?—but Entrapta’s attention was fixed on the alien at her side.

Horde Prime. It had to be. His bone structure was so similar to Hordak’s, but he had too many eyes, and there was a greenish cast to his skin, though that could have been the lighting. His hair was fascinating, though—mechanical tendrils? What did they do? Were they merely prehensile like her own locks, or did they have a further function? Her mind whirled with possibilities, jumping from one question to the next even as Glimmer and Prime spoke. Their comments didn’t catch hold of her attention until—

“—your greatest enemy. As a gift.” Prime motioned to someone off screen and a clone stepped into view. 

Hordak. 

It had to be. His eyes were wrong and his hair was wrong, but his armor had been stripped from him—which was also wrong, but in a different way and where was the crystal? His crystal? _Her_ crystal? The little secret she’d kept, always imagining that one day she’d share it if she ever had reason to believe he returned her feelings? _Where was it?!_ —and the spiderweb of discolored flesh, the withered muscles marked him. An imperfection in a sea of perfect sameness.

Her mouth went dry. Her hair coiled and coiled around nothing, and her fingers began to twitch and twist. She walked closer to the screen, jumping a little when Scorpia reached for her and gripped her (carefully) by her upper arms, keeping her in place. A soft sound of protest escaped her, but Scorpia shook her head in warning. Around them, the others were quiet, watching without words. 

“Ah, here he is.” Prime cupped the back of Hordak’s head, his thumb pressing into his jaw to force his head back. Forcing him to bare his throat. Another soft sound of protest escaped her. “What a troublesome little pest. You must accept my apologies, Queen Glimmer. We don’t make his line anymore. They proved flawed. And far too independent.” His thumb dug into Hordak’s jaw, but Hordak didn’t react to the claw pressing into his carotid artery. 

(Dimly, she wondered what his name for that artery would be, mourned the fact that she’d been too fixated on his mechanical anatomy to ask after his biological when she had the chance. Or, more truthfully, that she’d been too unsure of herself, too nervous to ask. Too hopeful that such a study might lead elsewhere, and too afraid of her disappointment if it didn’t.)

She swallowed hard, noting that he was still and serene as he’d never been on Etheria. Even when he was at rest, Hordak had never seemed at peace—his mind was too busy, his gaze too focused and intent. But this man was placid, eerily so. 

Entrapta searched his blank features for a trace of the man she’d grown to.... But there was nothing. Just the hollow adoration he directed at Prime. Her gut clenched and her hair coiled tight around Scorpia.

“But then again, I’d have never known to seek out this, hm, ‘quaint’ little planet if I hadn’t gotten his signal. Would I?” He addressed the latter to Hordak, squeezing his face and shaking his head a little—as if he were teasing a child. Returning his attention to Glimmer, he said, “So that will be my gift to you and to him. In my infinite mercy, I have decided to let him live, but in my great justice, I shall hand him over to you, to do with as you please. Since he was such a nuisance.” He smiled, exposing sharp, green teeth. In a lightning-quick move, his arm twisted to catch the back of Hordak’s neck and shove him to his knees before Glimmer. Entrapta raised a hand to her mouth, hearing the way his knees had cracked against the floor. “Oh, and don’t worry—his combat protocols have been disabled. You can do whatever you please with him, and he won’t protest.” 

Glimmer, hands still folded neatly in front of her, her features schooled into a mask of impassivity, was saying something—first to Prime, and then she turned to address the princesses through the viewscreen.

It was probably important. Entrapta probably should have been paying attention, but she couldn’t tear her gaze from Hordak’s bowed form. His head was lowered, and he seemed more than content to await whatever fate Glimmer had planned for him. 

“Entrapta...” Scorpia’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, and her pincers were tight—nearly too tight—around her shoulders. “Don’t.”

Only then did Entrapta realize that her hair now held various tools and weapons, each rope of hair coiling around their handles as if preparing for war. 

No, not ‘as if’. As the screen flickered out, and Hordak, Glimmer, and Prime disappeared from view, she realized that this was no metaphor—she was ready to fight for her Lab Partner’s return. Surely, if she could get him in front of her, if she could find their crystal, then she could restore him. The green would fade from his eyes and he would be her Hordak again. Her lab partner. Her friend. _Hers_.

No matter what it took, she would bring him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I consider Entrapta to be autistic, but being neurotypical myself, I’m concerned about portraying that appropriately, and since this is just a quick ficlet I wrote on my phone while on break at work, please forgive me if I don’t try to do research for it. However! That concern does mean I’m open to getting feedback if someone feels I’m inappropriately portraying her autism. 
> 
> Let me be clear—let me know if I’m being ableist or spreading a bad message. (Kindly, please.) If you just don’t like the characterization, then please keep that to yourself. But I definitely don’t want to spread harmful messages.
> 
> Thank you!


	3. And they were cellmates (fluff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My take on Entrapta and Hordak’s first meeting when he’s himself again. And being held prisoner by the princesses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Ambiguously autistic Entrapta. Drug reference, addictive substances referenced, mild mind alteration referenced, imprisonment, chronic pain, chronic disability, mild touch aversion, mild disordered eating, self-confidence issues.
> 
> I swear this is just fluff.

“Hi!” Entrapta chirped to the guards, who looked down at her from behind their helmets. “I’m going to be sleeping here tonight.” Helpfully, she held up a blanket and pillow to demonstrate.

They glanced at each other. “Princess....”

She began rummaging through her bag of supplies. “See, my lab partner is in there, and we haven’t seen each other in a long time—a lot of stuff happened; I thought he’d left me; he thought I betrayed him, which isn’t really his fault even if it is ridiculous—so you see, we have a lot to talk about! I even brought hair dye for him—“ She displayed the dye proudly. “—since his is all white now, and he can’t be happy about that. I also have snacks! Well. Those are more for me than for him, since I think he has a nutrient slurry he prefers, but sometimes we share—“

The guards sighed, relieved when Adora rounded the corner. “Entrapta! We talked about this—you can’t stay in Hordak’s cell.”

“We did?”

“Yes, we did! When you said you were going to ask the staff for snacks for your ‘sleepover’.”

Entrapta frowned, thinking about that. “Oh, right! I thought you were kidding.”

“Why would I—? You know what, never mind. You can’t stay in there. He’s a prisoner.”

“But if he’s the prisoner, why can’t I stay with him? It’s not like I’m letting him out.”

From behind the door, a deep voice said, “It’s really best to let her go wherever she wants. She’ll find her own way in if you don’t.” 

“See?!” Entrapta beamed, gesturing at the door. “He gets it!”

Adora sputtered. “He doesn’t—! Ugh! His opinion doesn’t matter! He’s dangerous, Entrapta—he could use you as a hostage. He could hurt you! Do you understand?” She was leaning close, and Entrapta pulled away, put off by her proximity. “Look, I know you think he’s your friend, but you can’t trust him. We need him because he has valuable information, but he’s not like Scorpia or even Shadow Weaver. This is _Hordak_. We can’t trust him to help us—this isn’t even his planet! You get that, right?”

Entrapta’s hair wilted, and she looked away. “Alright....”

Adora sigh, relieved. “Good. So, why don’t we go back to your room and maybe have a girl’s night? I know Scorpia will be happy to join us.”

As Adora led her away, Entrapta looked longingly back at the door, but she was nodding. “Okay.... Do you think Scorpia will want to dye her hair? It might look good blue.”

“I don’t know, but we can definitely ask!”

-

Hordak smiled slightly when he heard the soft tapping at his window. He was quite high in the castle—high enough that no one was concerned he might make his escape that way.

Obviously, no one had been very concerned about anyone making their way _in_ that way either.

He approached the window as the pane slid open. “You’re awake!” she said brightly, using her hair to pull herself inside.

He didn’t offer a hand, knowing that—without his cybernetic enhancements—he wasn’t going to be able to help her. “Of course. I was looking forward to your visit.” He hung back, afraid to touch her, lest she prove to be an illusion. He frowned a little, seeing how skinny she’d gotten. Somehow, she’d survived Beast Island, but it hadn’t been kind to her. “Have they been treating you well? They’ve been feeding you, yes?” Her dietary restrictions were numerous and complex, and he well knew that she could be picky to the point of self-starvation. Despite himself, he was concerned that the princesses wouldn’t know how to feed her properly. And if they did, then could they really be trusted to do so? She had been their enemy, after all, had nearly destroyed their world with her work on the black garnet and had played a vital role in bringing Big Br—Prime. In bringing Horde Prime to their door.

“Oh, yes! Look—I brought tiny cupcakes!” 

Her hair offered one to him and he took it between the claws of his thumb and forefinger. In his large hands, it was even smaller. He sighed. “They’ve been feeding you more than cupcakes, haven’t they?”

She smiled shyly. “Well....” The word rolled in her mouth. “I like cupcakes!”

He huffed, even as he tried not to smile. “I will speak to them. Cupcakes do not provide adequate protein or vitamins—“ Her hair was suddenly plucking at his limbs, pulling him into another configuration so she could examine him more thoroughly. “Entrapta—“

She bopped him lightly on his nasal ridge with a strand of hair, saying, “Boop” under her breath as she did. He sighed but kept his silence as he allowed her to turn his limbs this way and that—he even allowed her to push his clothing out of the way so she could check his dorsal and cervical ports. “How are you feeling?” she asked, “Are you in any pain? I haven’t been able to make new armor for you yet.”

“No.”

Her face was suddenly inches from his. “That seems unlikely. Are you lying to make me feel better?”

He scoffed, upper lip curling. “Lie? I do not lie.”

She nodded at this, accepting his words immediately. “So you’re not in pain? Interesting.” Again, she drew out the word, the syllables elongating in her mouth. 

“It’s a remnant from my time with...” He faltered for a moment, exhaling slowly to steady himself. “...Prime. His probing induces the brain to produce a hormone cocktail. They are not identical, but they would be much like the endorphins and oxytocin Etherians produce.” He hesitated. “Though they are much stronger.”

“Oh? What’s the purpose of that?” She wasn’t looking him over anymore, not holistically at least. Instead, her gaze darted from his forehead to his nasal ridge to his mouth and chin, then briefly skittered over his eyes before searching his face once again. 

He fixed his gaze beyond her left shoulder, finding that easier than watching her watch him. “It produces intense feelings of euphoria and inspires adoration. As a side effect, it also mutes pain.” He considered that. “I am aware of it,” he confessed. “But it seems...unimportant at the moment.”

“Oh. That sounds similar to certain varieties of pain medication—is it at all addictive?”

He opened his mouth to deny it. Then he blinked, remembering the intense illness he’d sweated and suffered through when he’d first been trapped on Etheria. He was still indebted to Scorpia’s family for their help at that time. 

Mentally, he cursed his own foolishness. “I have limited data to prove so, but I now have reason to suspect that it is.” He would be forever grateful to her for asking the questions he himself would never even think to ask. 

Entrapta frowned, starting to pace. Her hair released him gently, and he turned to watch her. She was muttering to herself as she moved, starting to plot. He couldn’t keep the fond expression from his face.

She stopped suddenly, then darted toward the window. “I have an idea! I have a lab set up downstairs ; come with me and we can get to work on something to keep you comfortable when the endorphins eventually wear off.” 

He glanced at the door, wondering why the guards hadn’t yet disturbed them. “I cannot.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Come on—we’re finally back together, and there’s so much we can do! I think I can make some cybernetic plugs to dampen your pain—at least until I can remake your armor. If we work fast, I think we can have a prototype by morning!”

He enjoyed her excitement—his chest seemed to swell with it—but he had to remind her, “Your friends would be unhappy with you if you let me out.”

“Oh. Right.” She froze halfway out the window. “You’re supposed to be a prisoner, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I doubt I have permission to visit your lab.” Even if his ‘cell’ was more luxurious than the room he’d kept for himself back in the Fright Zone, he doubted they’d allow him to roam the castle freely. 

“Yeah....” Her gaze was distant for a moment, then she brightened. “That’s okay; I’ve got a better idea!” She started to climb the rest of the way out, then pause. “Oh? Hordak?”

He approached, leaning one arm on the wall beside the window. “Yes?” She seemed so small beside him, and his fingers curled as he repressed the urge to reach out to her.

“Why did you believe Catra? When she told you I betrayed you? We’re friends—you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you like that, right?”

He looked away, ears drawn down. His claws scraped lightly against the stonework. “It was easier. Believing that you would prefer their company to mine. The alternative seemed illogical. At the time.”

“But why would you think that?” She drew closer to him, a rope of hair looping around his ulna. “I mean, you always listen to me—even when I go on and on about First Ones Tech—“

“Of course I do!” He snapped, eyes narrowed. “You have a brilliant mind and your theories are fascinating. Only an idiot would ignore that.”

She used her hair to raise her body to his height, her shoulder now brushing the window’s peak. “You don’t understand—no one else listens to me the way you do. They just think I’m rambling. Or that I’m...weird. Obsessive.” She was pulling at her hair, running her fingers through it anxiously. 

“Then everyone else is an idiot.” He lifted his chin, daring her to contradict him as he drew her hand free of her hair. When she looked at him, an uncomfortable feeling in his chest—like something living was squirming in there—caused him to flush. His ears flexed and he looked away. “I am sorry.” He couldn’t look at her directly as he said it, preferring to hold her gloved hand and study that. “In hindsight, I should have known. Catra had already proven herself a liar.” His mouth quirked slightly as he dared to glance at her. “Besides—you would never have left before we at least activated the portal.”

“Exactly!” she said, waving her arms for emphasis. “Ah! You have to tell me everything, by the way! I need a full run-down, if only to complete my notes. There must be a way to hold it open now that we’re outside the pocket dimension, but first—“ She leaned close, once again ‘boop’ing his nasal ridge, though she didn’t vocalize it this time. “I accept your apology! And I’m sorry I thought you’d abandoned me too.”

He brushed a knuckle along the underside of her jaw. “Never. I will never abandon you.” For a moment, they just regarded each other fondly, then she darted away, clambering out the window as smoothly as she’d entered. Something else had caught her attention now. His abused spine relaxed as the strange feeling in his chest eased away. It was easy to say such things to her. She never lingered on them, her mind too busy to be caught by his words or to notice his soft expressions. 

“I’ll be right back—stay there!” He poked his head outside, watching as she swung to another open window. 

He lingered at the window. He found he wasn’t happy watching her leave, even if he was amused at how easily she flouted the princess’ laws. It was hard to let her go after they’d been kept apart for so long. Caging her was unconscionable, though, so with an annoyed huff, he pushed away from the window and began to pace. 

-

Scorpia woke up at sunrise, a habit reinforced by her years in the Horde. She sat up, yawning and looking around the room at Bow and Adora and— 

She froze, searching the room for Entrapta. Her blankets and pillows were gone, though, and so was she. “Oh, no.”

Desperately, Scorpia wanted to believe that Entrapta was down in her lab, but a quick visit proved less than reassuring. In fact, if felt like her stomach dropped; her lab equipment was mostly gone, save for a few odds and ends. As if she’d hastily packed it up in the middle of the night. 

Like a condemned woman, Scorpia walked over to the guest wing, seeking out Hordak’s cell. To the guards, she raised a claw. “Excuse me, but—uh? Have you seen Entrapta around? This tall? Really bouncy? Or, uh, Lord Hordak? Much, much taller? Glowing red eyes, looks like he swallowed a lemon? No? Okay, well, would you mind letting me take a little peek inside—I just need to check on something.” They stepped aside, and she poked her head in, certain that she’d find an empty room.

What she found instead made her heart swell and her face break into a broad grin. Not only was all of Entrapta’s equipment inside, so were Entrapta and Hordak. Both of them asleep. Together.

A joyful sound escaped her, and Hordak’s red eyes opened to narrow slits. “Force Captain Scorpia.” His tone was a warning in itself, his voice pitched to a low growl. But it was hard to heed the warning when he and Entrapta were sitting against the far wall, bundled together in a blanket. Her head was resting on his chest and shoulder, and even under the blanket, it was obvious his arm was wrapped around her, holding her to him. 

“Sir!” Scorpia said, claws on her hips as she surveyed them, heedless of his scowl. “That’s just—that’s great! I’m so happy for—well, for both of you!“

“Force Captain,” he hissed, voice low, “if you wake her, I will not be pleased. Am I understood?”

“Oh! Whoops! Yessir!” Out of habit, she saluted, grinning broadly. “I’m going now. Don’t worry—I’ll be real quiet.” She exaggerated her movements as she backed out of the room, still smiling. 

He sighed, adjusting the blanket when it fell off Entrapta’s shoulder. “You will also speak to the staff here. Entrapta’s dietary restrictions can be challenging to meet, but you will inform them that she requires more than tiny cupcakes.” He managed to inject an inordinate amount of disdain into the last two words. 

“Yessir! You got it! I’ll just leave you two lovebirds alone now. Oh and—congratulations!”

“Just get out,” he hissed, cheeks flushed. 

Outside their cell, she smiled broadly, shaking her head. She was definitely going to tell Rogelio, Lonnie, and Kyle about this. They’d be so happy for them!


	4. Scorpia ships it (Humor, fluff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpia ships it. Bow does not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Mild sexual innuendo.

“Aw, look at that. They’re so cute together.”

Bow looked up from his arrows, following Scorpia’s gaze. He was prepared to smile and coo over whatever adorable couple she was looking at, except—“Entrapta and Hordak?!” He gave her a look. “Scorpia.”

She turned to him. “What? They’re cute!”

“You’re insane. It’s Hordak. And Entrapta. I’m pretty sure she’s in love with science. And he’s—he’s _Hordak_!”

She turned his head back to them, the sides of her claws squeezing his face. “Look at them, Bow! Look with your eyes!” 

He gave her the side-eye. “Scorpia,” he said, his words distorted due to the pressure she put on his cheeks. 

“Look!” she insisted, shaking him a little. He sighed and did as she demanded.

And then he noticed something.

Hordak was leaning close to Entrapta while she babbled about the piece of tech she held. His stern features had relaxed into a soft, subtle smile, and he was wholly focused on her. She was leaning close him, looking excitedly between him and the tech. There was nothing inappropriate going on—they weren’t even touching—but now that he was looking, it was obvious. They liked each other. A lot. More than he thought either was capable of. 

“First Ones,” he swore. “I can’t-I can’t believe it!”

“Aren’t they cute?” Scorpia asked, sighing as she leaned on one claw. “If I ever find a girl that looks at me like that, I‘ll die happy.”

Bow felt like he was having a panic attack. “Scorpia! That’s not cute—we have to do something!”

She brightened. “Help them confess their love?”

“No! We can’t let him—!” He looked around and lowered his voice. “Have his way with her.”

Scorpia looked at him, blinking. “His way? You think? Huh. I don’t know why, but I always got the impression she‘d be the one to take the reins—Bow?”

He covered his ears, eyes wide. “I didn’t hear that. I’m not thinking about that. You didn’t _say_ that.”

She just patted his shoulder, then she brightened. “Hey—me and the old squad have a betting pool going! Do you want in?”

“No! What?! No!”

“Alright, your loss. Just let me know if you change your mind.”

He put his head on the table, covering his head with his arms. This was a nightmare he definitely did not need. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hordak gets pegged. I will accept no criticism on this.


	5. The tiny food experiment (fluff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak finds his nutrient slurry perfectly adequate. Entrapta does not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: This is pure fluff. Not even hurt/comfort. I really can’t think of anything objectionable. Maybe weird/gross food mention? Possibly triggering if you have food issues.

Hordak looked across the table at Entrapta, his mouth pressed into a thin line. “What is the purpose of this?”

“Everyone needs to eat.” She smiled as she said it. Her hair coiled into a seat beneath her, and she bounced a little, eagerness bleeding off her. “Even you.”

He nudged a pastry with one claw. “I do not require tiny food. My nutrient slurry is perfectly adequate.”

“Pfffh. ‘Adequate’.” He looked at her, and she leaned forward. “Why does it just have to be adequate? Why can’t it be fun too?”

Frowning, he started to reply, then he realized he didn’t have a good answer. He huffed. “It’s a waste of time and resources,” he said, but even he knew it was a weak reply. Her mouth quirked into a knowing smile, and he looked away, his ears tilted down. 

“It takes time to eat your smoothie—“

“It is not a ‘smoothie’!”

“—and resources to make it, so you might as well eat something that makes you happy too!”

He studied the tiny food. “I do not understand. This makes you happy?”

“Yeah—look!” She held up a tiny cupcake, the frosting shaped to look like a pig. “Isn’t it cute?!” 

He leaned close to study the cupcake. “It is...very pink.”

She looked at it, then looked at the tray. “Here. Why don’t you try this one first? Your species is primarily frugivorous, right?”

“Yes, we are biologically frugivorous omnivores. Though we sometimes supplemented our diet with meat and insects—prior to developing our nutrient rations, of course.” He eyed her. “They are much more efficient.”

“But not nearly as fun! Here, this is a fruit tart; based on the taste preferences of other frugivores, you should enjoy it!”

His ears flexed. He looked at the variety of tiny foods—a fruit tart, a cupcake, some kind of quiche, and a few items he couldn’t identify. Some were meant to be sweet, others savory. The only thing they had in common was their small size. “Entrapta.” He glanced at Emily, noting that she was recording. “Is this an experiment?”

“No! Well. Yes. It’s just—this is fascinating! You’ve never eaten anything aside from your smoothies—“

“Nutrient slurry.”

“—and ration bars, so you’re a completely blank slate! It’ll be fascinating to see what, if anything, you enjoy! I don’t usually like to dip into the soft sciences, but it’s going to be interesting to see if your taste and texture preferences are shaped more strongly by environmental and social factors or if your biology plays a larger role!” Her voice rose with each word, and she leaned closer as she spoke, her hands splayed to show her excitement.  


Then, all at once, her features fell and she pulled back. “Oh. Maybe this is...you don’t mind, do you?”

He cocked his head. “Why would I mind?”

Her hands fluttered, and her hair coiled. “I don’t know. People seem to get upset when I study them.”

He frowned, ears flexing. “They should be flattered to be the subject of your interest.”

She looked at him. “Are you?”

He should have expected the question. He had not. His ears perked up and his eyes widened. He could feel heat spreading across his cheeks. Instead of answering, he took the fruit tart and cleared his throat. “Emily, take a note—first sample is a small fruit tart. It appears to be composed primarily of...” He studied it. “...various berries. Do you have a scale you’d like me to use? Or should I simply give you my thoughts?”

“It’s not a formal study,” Entrapta confessed, leaning forward. “I won’t be presenting my findings or anything. This is for my personal use.”

His ears flexed and he swallowed, looking down. “I. See. What’s the purpose of this again?”

“To develop some foodstuffs for you that will be more than just ‘adequate’.” She smiled at him. “I want you to enjoy them too.”

“That is entirely unnecessary,” he said, hearts beating faster. It was taking every ounce of willpower he had not to squirm uncomfortably under her gaze. No one had ever done something like this for him. Ever. Even when she’d created his armor, that at least served an obvious purpose. But this? He had no idea how to react to this. 

“Hordak!” She sounded exasperated. “You’re allowed to have things that you like! Even if they aren’t necessary— _especially_ if they aren’t necessary!”

He glanced at her, his cheeks uncomfortably warm. “I.” She pushed the tray toward him, her eagerness obvious. 

“For science?” she asked. 

He narrowed his eyes. “For science—that is the only reason I’m indulging _this_.” She just leaned her chin on her hands, smiling and wiggling in her seat when he finally took a tentative bite. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hordak, let your wife give you tiny foods. 
> 
> (The tiny foods are a metaphor for love and affection.)


	6. Imp(erfection) - hurt/comfort, fluff, recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clones do not _have_ birthdays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Self-censure. I’m gonna tag for gaslighting out of an abundance of caution. Past abuse. Hordak’s horrifying view of himself, including ableist thinking.

Hordak didn’t look up from his work when Imp landed beside him. “Do you have something to report?”

Imp’s wings flapped once, then he folded them neatly and sat down. He opened his mouth to play a recording:

“[Happy Birthday, Force Captain!]”

Hordak didn’t look up. “That’s fine, Imp. I’m given to understand it’s an Etherian tradition. So long as they are not overly disruptive, I allow them to celebrate if they please.”

“[Happy Birthday] [Imp].”

Now Hordak gave the little clone his full attention. “You do not have a birthday. You were not born.” 

“[Lord Hordak!]” Imp punctuated the recording of Shadow Weaver with an inquisitive _chi-rup?_

“No. I was not born either. We were decanted; it’s not something to be celebrated.”

Imp made an angry screech before darting away, chittering unhappily. 

Hordak shook his head and returned to his work, but Imp’s unhappy chatter seemed to linger. He continued his work—he was not going to put his progress on hold over something so foolish and sentimental—but at the end of the day, he ordered Imp to give him a moment alone. When he was gone, Hordak brought up the files he’d kept on Imp’s development, decanting, and conditioning.

Sitting back, he folded his hands under his chin and considered the computer screen. Imp was, technically, a failed experiment. He was flawed—severely so. He would never speak in his own voice; had Hordak not installed his recorder, he’d never speak at all. He would never reach puberty or grow past his present size, would never be a capable warrior. His brain would never fully mature. 

(Big Brother would not have permitted him to develop further, after discovering the flaws in his genetic code.)

Hordak had always felt vaguely guilty about Imp. He’d intended, at the time of his decanting, to dissect him as he’d done with all his previous failures. He had been especially intent on dissecting this clone because he was the closest he’d managed to come to success—none of the others had developed as well as this one, despite his flaws. 

He had been surprised when the clone took his first breath. None of the others had been compatible with life—their genetic defects were too severe for them to survive past their decanting. Imp was the first. The only.

Hordak should have severed his brainstem at that moment. It’s what Big Brother would have ordered. It’s what any true Horde scientist would have done. Imperfections were not permitted in the Horde, and Imp was as imperfect as they came. 

Yet the clone had cooed softly, followed by a chirp. Unable to help himself Hordak had chirped back, his ears twitching, then dismissed it as instinct and nothing more. The clone reached out a grasping hand, the fingers so small. His wings fluttered and he turned his head this way and that, blearily regarding the world with open curiosity. He chirped again, and with a stab of guilt, Hordak knew he would not cut the child’s brainstem as he should. 

(When Big Brother came— He shut the thought down, unwilling to confront it.)

He’d designed a custom conditioning program for him after that.Some of his force captains began calling the clone Imp, after an Etherian myth, and despite his attempts to curb it, the name had stuck. It hardly seemed worth fighting; what harm was there in a name? 

(Big Brother would not approve.)

Studying his notes, he saw nothing worth celebrating here. If anything, he should be ashamed of his sentimentality. It was, surely, a sign of his own defects and imperfections that he had allowed the flawed clone to live, had allowed him to be named. (Big Brother had surely known he was so deficient. He could see into the hearts and minds of the Horde; he would have known that Hordak’s defects ran deeper than mere muscle and bone.)

Nevertheless, he took note of the date of Imp’s decanting. He made no plans, didn’t allow himself to fully consider what he was doing or why. 

(When Big Brother returned, he could know nothing of this, couldn’t be allowed to see it in Hordak’s thoughts. The things he could not hide were damning enough.)

Then he shut down the computer and went to remove his armor, carefully thinking of nothing in particular.

-

It was nothing so sentimental as a birthday present. That was a foolish, Etherian tradition, and he would take no part in it. It was merely an annual gift—an acknowledgment of Imp’s service. So it happened to fall on the same day he’d been decanted? What of it? The date was meaningless—he only gave it meaning by choosing to reward Imp for his work on that specific day.

He was not, would _never_ , celebrate something as meaningless as the day of decanting of a flawed clone of a flawed clone!

So when Imp, on receiving the extra ration bar and the apple on that completely meaningless day, had asked, “[Birthday?]” Hordak reiterated—

“Don’t be absurd. You were not born. You do not have a birthday.”

Imp nuzzled his hand anyway, before screeching in victory as he flew away with his prizes. Hordak merely shook his head and returned to his work, pretending not to notice the slight smile on his own face or the subtle warmth in his chest.

He upheld that tradition for years, never acknowledging that the gifts were anything other than a reward for good work. Then everything changed.

Big Bro—Horde Prime was gone. He and Imp were free of him. 

Forever. 

Some days that was...overwhelming. Some days it left him feeling lost. Before, he’d been imbued with purpose—misguided, perhaps, but purpose nonetheless—but now, sometimes it felt like he had nothing. Usually, on those days, Entrapta would wrap him in her hair and whisper soft words—good words, kind words, words he didn’t deserve but needed so desperately—until he could catch his breath and he remembered that he had a new, better purpose now. It was not as simple—strange that making a life with Entrapta and their unconventional family was somehow more complicated than galactic conquest—but it was infinitely more rewarding.

Which left him considering his current predicament. 

Imp’s decanting day was tomorrow. Ration bars and fresh fruit had been reward enough in war time, but that would hardly be a treat now. Furthermore, this was the first time that Imp could have a proper birthday. No longer under the shadow of his ‘brother’s’ disapproval, Hordak was free to acknowledge their silly, sentimental tradition without shame or fear of reprisal. The problem was, he had no idea how to do that. 

So he did what he always did when he had a troubling question:

“Entrapta?”

She peered at him from under the large mech she was repairing. “Yeah?”

“What do Etherians usually do to celebrate their birthdays?”

She cocked her head, thinking. “Well. They usually give presents and eat cake—or another dessert if the birthday-person doesn’t like cake.”

He nodded. Imp liked cake well enough. “What kind of presents?”

“Whatever the birthday-person likes, I guess?”

His ears flexed. Imp seemed to enjoy wrestling with stuffed animals until they were nearly falling apart. A stuffed animal, perhaps? “Thank you,” he said, leaving her to her mech.

She darted after him, leaning out of the doorway, supported by her hair. “Um? Hordak? You know my birthday is months away, right?”

His eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. “I...did not. You will tell me the date as it gets closer?”

“Oh, of course!”

He thanked her again and walked toward the kitchens, cheeks still hot. He hadn’t even thought about Entrapta! Of course she had a birthday! Thankfully, it seemed he had some time to consider that more carefully. Finding an appropriate present for Entrapta would be a good deal harder than finding one for Imp. 

He spoke to both the baker and seneschal about acquiring a cake and a stuffed animal, though they had seemed unnerved by his request. He wasn’t fully sure why—perhaps he was doing something wrong? He knew that commanding an army was different from managing a kingdom, but he‘d gotten better at keeping his temper in check. Perhaps he’d speak to Entrapta about that as well.... 

The next morning, after approving both cake and stuffed animal, he dismissed the baker and seneschal and waited. Imp knew what day it was, and he would find his maker when he woke up and there weren’t any extra rations or pieces of fruit beside his bed. 

He did not expect Entrapta to find him first. She came in through one of her hidden doors, welding mask down as she studied the cake and the toy. He didn’t say anything, just allowed her to examine everything. One rope of hair scratched the top of her head, then she shrugged and lifted the mask. “Okay, I give up. What are you doing?”

He crossed his arms. “It’s not obvious?” His ears flexed.

“Well,” she drew out the word, as if rolling it around in her mouth, “given your questions yesterday, I have to assume this is supposed to be a birthday cake and a birthday present.”

He nodded firmly. “Yes.” He paused, considering her word choice. “Am I doing this correctly?”

“Mostly? I mean, kind of—the cake usually has a message on it, like, ‘Happy Birthday!’” She raised her hands to either side of her head as she said it, as if emphasizing the words. “And there’s decorations in frosting—“

He frowned. “This is not enough frosting?” It seemed like more than enough to him.

“That’s not really the point? It’s just supposed to be more colorful. Exciting—fun!” She widened her stance and threw her arms open, as if mimicking an explosion. Which, considering the things Entrapta considered to be ‘fun’, was as likely as anything else. She retracted her limbs all at once. “Oh, and the present is supposed to be wrapped.”

He blinked. “In what?”

“Paper!” He cocked his head, staring down at the stuffed toy and trying to figure out how that could possibly improve it. “By the way, who’s this for, anyw—?”

Imp’s irritated screeching interrupted her reply. He came barreling out of one of the vents, hair raised in a crest and ears flat. He flew immediately to Hordak, then kicked his shin in fury, still screeching. Hordak looked down at him, cocking his head in question. Grumpy, Imp crossed his arms and sat heavily on the floor, turning his back. “Is something the matter?”

With a glare, Imp looked at him over his shoulder and played a short recording. “[Forgot]”! He punctuated that with an angry huff, though the way he started playing with his tail made it clear he wasn’t merely angry—he was disappointed as well. 

Trying not to smirk, Hordak set first the cake and then the toy in front of him. “I forgot nothing.” He hesitated for just a moment, then ruffled Imp’s hair, jostling it out of the angry crest. “Happy Birthday, Imp.”

Imp stared at him, eyes wide. Then he opened his mouth and played an old recording. “[You do not have a birthday. You were not born.]”

Hordak shrugged. “Happy decanting day, then.”

Imp stood all at once and tackled him, hugging his leg so tight he could feel it through his armor. Not entirely sure what to do about this development, he looked to Entrapta for help, but she was only staring at him, wide-eyed. “Aw, Hordak....” There were tears in her eyes, and for a moment he was worried he’d done something very wrong, but then her hair coiled around them both and she pressed her hand to his chest, smiling broadly. “You should have told me what you were doing! We could have had a party to celebrate!”

His features softened, a subtle smile playing at his mouth. Warmth spread through his chest, and he laid his hand atop hers. It was a good moment. But he had to ask—

“What’s a party?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a bit I had to cut:
> 
> The baker—a large, formidable-looking woman—seemed to shrink in on herself when he appeared in her kitchen. “L-Lord Hordak?” she squeaked.
> 
> “I require a cake. A regular sized one.” Imp could be...greedy. He would prefer a large cake to a small one. “By tomorrow.”
> 
> She continued to stare at him with wide eyes. “Um. What kind of cake?” She asked it carefully.
> 
> His ears flattened and his mouth thinned. He had no idea what kind of cake—what kind did Imp like? He’d never really paid attention before, simply noticed that Imp enjoyed stealing cupcakes from Entrapta. And that she didn’t seem to mind overmuch. Scowling at his own ignorance, he said sharply, “It doesn’t matter! Pick one.”
> 
> She nodded so violently he was briefly afraid she would injure herself. “Yessir.”
> 
> “Thank you. That will be all.”
> 
> More nodding. He left her then, confident she could fulfill his request.


	7. LUVD (Hurt/comfort, fluff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora can read the First Ones’ language. Hordak cannot. (Entrapta has some explaining to do.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Self esteem issues, panic attacks.

The alliance had, reluctantly, asked Hordak to come to Bright Moon. An issue had arisen amongst the clones that had decided to settle there—and wasn’t that a wonder? they had  _decided_ —and apparently, neither the Queen nor her princesses were able to resolve it, and Swift Wind had, somehow, made the matter worse. Hordak had been somewhat reluctant, as he and Entrapta were in the middle of a time-sensitive experiment, but he had an obligation to go. He was the clones’ ‘cultural ambassador’—or some such nonsense; he hadn’t paid much attention to the title itself—and fulfilling that role was part of his reparations to Etheria.

It was hard going alone, but Entrapta didn’t really need him for the experiment, and she promised to record the whole thing for him to review when he returned. 

So he went. While he worked with the clones—who had begun to collectively call themselves ‘Kin’ rather than ‘Horde’—he stayed in Bright Moon’s castle. The Queen insisted it was to honor his status. Hordak was fairly sure it was so they could keep a close eye on him. He was also fairly sure that’s why they had invited the She-Ra—or, rather, her avatar—as well. 

He didn’t mind working with Adora. She was intelligent and efficient—and if a small part of him was proud of her conditioning, he certainly wasn’t going to mention it to anyone—but he really didn’t enjoy the way she looked at him at times. Or, rather, the way she looked at the crystal that powered his armor. He often caught her staring at it, and he had the protective urge to conceal it from her. His hand frequently lifted to cover it on its own, before he was conscious of the action. He then felt obliged to clear his throat and do something else with his hand because this was ridiculous and he was making it worse.

He didn’t even know why she was staring, until he was nearly done with his work with the Kin. She was pretending to be busy, while in reality, she was minding him, and Hordak was actually busy, looking over the contested village plans.

He sighed, crossing something out and re-writing it elsewhere. “So, how’s it going?” she asked. 

He snorted in disgust. “While I am glad that my kindred are starting to form their own personalities and are becoming comfortable seeking out the things they want for themselves, I am afraid they are also going to have to come to understand that the nature of compromise means that they can’t all get what they want all the time. This should not have been as complicated as they made it out to be.”

She laughed a little, the sound shy and unsure. A little high-pitched. He ignored it; he hadn’t been joking, and he didn’t understand why she thought that was funny. “Yeah. I guess so.” She rocked on her toes a little, and suddenly, she was sidling over, invading his space. He straightened, perturbed by her proximity. She was looking at his crystal again. He clenched his hand to keep from covering it protectively. “How about you? You and Entrapta are...getting pretty close? Right?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I fail to see why that is any of your business. Move—you’re in my light.”

“Oh, sorry.” She stepped aside, though not very far. He gave her another suspicious glare before returning to the plans. “Uh, did Entrapta tell you I could read the First Ones’ language?”

He sighed. He did not engage in ‘small talk’. He didn’t see the point of it, but Entrapta had asked him to be nice, so he would answer the avatar’s vapid questions. “No, she did not. I do not believe she thought it would be relevant.” He said the last word very pointedly, hoping she might take the hint. 

She did not. “Oh. Well. I can.” She looked at him very deliberately as she said it. His ears twitched before he returned his attention to the plans.

“How nice.”

“Ugh! Hordak, I can read what your crystal says, okay?!”

Unable to stop himself, he cupped his hand over it. “I have no idea what you mean—it doesn’t say anything.”

Her eyes went wide and her cheeks flushed a deep scarlet. “Oh. She didn’t...tell you...?” She swallowed. “Never mind! My mistake—you’re right, it doesn’t say anything!”

He caught her arm as she tried to leave. “What does it say?” he demanded, looming over her. 

“Well. Um. It’s not really a word? It’s letters that sound like a word.” His ears flattened.

“What. Does. It. Say?”

She swallowed. “L-U-V-D.” He narrowed his eyes. “Loved—it says ‘loved’. She really never told you?”

It felt like he couldn’t breathe. 

“Hordak?”

He pushed her away, hearing the pounding of his hearts echo in his ears. “You’re mistaken.”

“Uh? No? I’m really not. Look, it’s a She-Ra thing; I can—“

“I don’t care!” he snarled, the writing stylus snapping between his fingers. “You are mistaken! It is either an unfortunate acronym or merely a coincidence. Regardless, it doesn’t mean ‘loved’—it doesn’t mean anything!” He straightened, trying to steady his breathing. “And I expect you to keep your ridiculous suspicions to yourself. Do you realize how badly you could damage Entrapta’s reputation by implying—?” He exhaled hard and leveled a hard look at her. “She does not need you wrecking everything she has built.”

The avatar stared back at him with wide eyes. “Have you talked to Entrapta about this?” she asked after a moment.

“There is nothing to talk about.”

“Hordak—“

With a snarl, he dodged her outstretched hand and stormed off. “We’re done.”

“Hordak, wait! Can we just—“

“I said we’re done!”

He returned to the castle, too frazzled to continue his work. He paced in his assigned room, hissing at Imp when he gave a curious chirp. Imp left with an abundance of angry chattering as he sought out more pleasant company. Hordak couldn’t blame him—he knew he wasn’t at his best when he was like this. He’d been working on controlling his temper, but the urge to start breaking things was strong. 

He shut his eyes, trying to breathe through the rage. How dare she? How  _dare_ she?! Did she realize what such rumors would do to Entrapta? To Dryl? They weren’t some isolated nation—they were at best a city-state, and reliant on their trade agreements with their neighbors. Neighbors he had attacked and conquered! 

Was this their revenge, then? To use Hordak to ruin Entrapta’s reputation, to destroy her small country’s economy? To play with his emotions, taunting him with—?

One of his vambraces started to spark, shocking him. He ripped it off with a roar and tossed it across the room, his breathing rapid and ragged. 

Just then, his communicator started beeping. Entrapta. Something like relief wrapped him. Of course! He should have contacted her immediately! He turned on the monitor, barely waiting for her features to resolve when he said, “Good; we have something to discuss.”

“Oh. Yeah. Adora contacted me and—“

“I think we can get ahead of the rumors if we—“

“—said she told you about—“

“—form a plan. We’ll need to re-affirm your trade agreements—“

“Wait. Trade agreements?”

He nodded, glad she was listening. He started to pace as he laid out his plan. “Yes! You need to ratify your agreements, strengthen the bonds with your closest allies.” He beat one fist against his unarmored palm. “We have some inventions  that other kingdoms can use. If we produce blueprints, show them how to—“

“Hordak.”

“—make them, we can endear ourselves to some of the kingdoms that—“

“Hordak.”

“—would be particularly upset by these rumors.” He hesitated. “You ought to...start seeing suitors.” It felt like his chest was being compressed. “That would certainly quell any rumors of—“

“Hordak.”

“—of impropriety.”

“Hordak!”

He looked at the monitor. “What?”

“Will you take a breath?” He blinked. “Just. A deep breath. Like this—“ She inhaled. Through pursed lips, as if trying to keep the air in, she said, “And hold it.”

Not sure why she’d asked this of him but trusting her nonetheless, he filled his lungs and held his breath. Entrapta nodded. “Good. That’s good. Now exhale real slow—like this.” She demonstrated, and he mimicked her. 

“What was the purpose of that?”

“To calm you down. You were panicking.”

“I do not  panic!”

“Why don’t you take another deeeep breath?”

“I DO NOT NEED TO BREATHE!” S he raised a brow, and his words caught up to him. “Perhaps, you aren’t...incorrect.”

“You think?”  He shot her a look, but let her walk him through some more breathing exercises. Finally, it felt like the band of steel wrapping his chest had loosened. Smiling fondly, Entrapta said, “Okay. Why don’t we try this again? Adora called me. She said she told you what the crystal says.”

“Yes. I’m concerned. Our...working relationship is bound to spark rumors, regardless of the She-Ra’s trustworthiness. It’s something we should have considered before, as it will likely have broader effects on your kingdom.”

She started to play with her hair. “O-oh. So. You...don’t...? You don’t mind that it says ‘LUVD’? You aren’t...? Confused? Or...?”

He waved that off. “Entrapta, I know it doesn’t mean anything. It’s not like you wrote it—“

“I did.”

“You?”

“Wrote it.”

“Oh. Well. I’m sure you didn’t mean—“

“I did.”

He blinked. It felt like he was drifting. Like his body was no longer tethered by gravity. “Loved? You meant? That?”

She nodded, then smiled weakly. “Um. Yeah.”

“Oh.” He sat heavily on the bed. “I.” He touched the crystal. 

“I didn’t really mean for you to find out. Not really. Not unless I thought....” She lowered her welding mask. 

“What?”

“I would have told you. If I thought you returned my feelings.” Her hair rubbed at her upper arm. 

“I—“ His tongue felt thick. Cumbersome. His breathing was shallow and too fast. “What if. I did?”

She lifted her mask, eyeing him. “Is this just a thought experiment? Or...?”

He swallowed. “I have. Reason to be invested in your answer. What if I returned your feelings?” He couldn’t believe what he was saying, couldn’t believe he was allowing himself to entertain the idea that Entrapta.

Loved.

_Him_.

“Well.” She rolled the word around, tasting it. Her mouth quirked in a small smile. “We’d probably need to implement some of your ideas to keep our trade agreements in place. And.” She held onto her hair, combing one lock with her fingers. “Maybe go on a date?”

He just stared at the screen. Stunned. He swallowed, ears lowered. “I think I will ask if they can manage the rest without me. I would like to return home and continue this conversation in person.” He looked down. “I believe I will also offer an apology to the She-Ra.”

“Yeah. I think I might owe her a thank you.”

Entrapta smiled at him, and he nodded his agreement, rendered mute by the weight of his feelings.

His fingers traced over the crystal at his throat. LUVD. 

He was. 

Loved.

(And he loved in return.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be a shitpost. Then I remembered that Hordak is likely too wound up to accept that Entrapta could actually love him, and his default reaction to strong emotions is “rage beast”. So.


	8. Dress Code (a shitpost)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow Weaver has noticed some of the cadets have made some modifications to their uniforms.

“Shadow Weaver, why are you distracting me with this? I have far more important things to attend to than the uniform modifications a few teenagers have made!”

”With respect, Lord Hordak, don’t you think this is inappropriate? It’s a distraction to the male students. And not a few of the female students as well. Don’t you think it’s best that they cover themselves?”

”Are they displaying the Horde sigil?””Well. Yes, but—“

”Then I don’t care. Let Force Captain Scorpia and—who was the other?”

”Catra. I’ve told you about her—“

He waved her off. “Let them make their modifications. If it is that much of a distraction, then perhaps it will distract our enemies as well. You are dismissed.”

“My lord—“

“I said you’re dismissed, Shadow Weaver.”

Shadow Weaver stormed from the sanctum, annoyed at him and at herself. Considering Lord Hordak’s lack of modesty, she really should have expected this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aka: Hordak doesn’t care about boob windows. He’s too busy showing off his thighs.


	9. Individuals (fluff, season 5 spoilers)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak meets Wrong Hordak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brotherly fluff. Entrapdak fluff. It’s really all just fluff. Season 5 spoilers, obviously.

Entrapta babbled in happiness and excitement, and Hordak clung to her in both word and body. He could listen to her talk about anything, endlessly, and he would never tire of feeling her arm around his, her body pressed against him.

When she paused, he caught her hand and held it tight. “Is this—is this real? Are you really—?”

She cupped his cheek and he shut his eyes, leaning into her touch. “It’s real,” she said, voice thick, “It’s really real.”

He opened his eyes and looked at her. His chest felt tight, but he felt lighter than air at the same time, as if he might float right off the planet’s surface. She withdrew her hand, fingers sliding over his cheek. Briefly, her thumb brushed against his bottom lip. He felt the absurd urge to turn his head and press his lips to her palm or fingers, but she’d pulled her hand back to rest on his opposite hip before he could gather himself to examine that urge more closely.

“Brother!”

A body collided with his back, and a second pair of arms wrapped around him. He stiffened, but Entrapta was smiling and laughing and if Entrapta was happy, surely everything was okay. 

The clone clinging to him appeared to be crying. Loudly and unabashedly. “I’m so happy you’re safe! And Entrapta found you! And you’re—you have your name back!”

Hordak really needed an explanation for this. “Entrapta, why is—?”

“Oh!” He was grateful she understood because he really wasn’t sure how to finish that question. “Hordak, meet Wrong Hordak!”

Hordak’s ears flicked back, then he caught his breath when Wrong Hordak grabbed one ear between his fingers. “Your ears move when you feel things?! How did you do that? Can you teach me to do that?!”

Hordak just eyed Entrapta, ignoring his questions for the moment. “You call him ‘Wrong Hordak’?”

“Well....” He’d missed the way she drew out her words. 

“Oh! What’s that expression mean?” the clone caught his face, studying it. “Wait, no—make the other expression again! I’m familiar with this one; it’s irritation, isn’t it?”

“Entrapta?”

“I was looking for you—“

“Yes! That expression what’s it—oh, it’s gone again. Why do you keep doing that?”

“—and we sort of...broke him?”

“You freed him from his conditioning?”

“Not at first. First we broke his connection to the hivemind. Then he kind of broke free of his conditioning on his own.”

Hordak’s eyes widened. He knew what it felt like to be disconnected from the hivemind unexpectedly. It was freedom, yes, but it was also isolating. He pushed the clone’s hands away from his face but didn’t push him away. Instead, he planted one hand on his shoulder and looked him over. “Have you given yourself a name, brother?”

“Oh, no. No, I couldn’t possibly.”

“Why not?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it. He widened his eyes. “I can...have a name?”

Hordak nodded. “You’re your own person, now. You can have a name.” He cocked his head and shut his eyes, sighing when he felt the change. When he opened his eyes, they were red. “There are many things you can do to prove your—“

The clone was clutching his face again, pulling him close for a better look. “HOW DID YOU DO THAT YOU MUST TEACH ME AND THE EARS YOU WILL TEACH ME HOW TO MAKE MY EARS MOVE?!”

“I will also teach you about personal space. In the meantime—Entrapta, can you acquire hair dye?”


	10. Reunion (post season 5, fluff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the dust settles, Hordak tracks down Imp.

“He needs to be fed three times a day. He likes fruit best—“

Hordak’s ear twitched. He glanced at the lizard man, who made a soft sound of apology. Hordak, in turn, made a dismissive sound, low in his throat.

He understood that the former cadet could not be held responsible for his mate’s babbling. “I believe I am equipped to take care of him. I have been doing so years.” It was a gentle reminder but not without emphasis.

The sandy-haired young man flushed. “R-right. Sorry. It’s just....”

“I understand.” Hordak offered his hand to Imp, who immediately grabbed it and held tight. Wryly, he added, “It is easy to become attached to him.” Imp smirked and bit him lightly, earning a sigh. “Despite his more mischievous nature.”

“Yeah,” the young man said. Hordak noted the bandages on his fingers with sympathy. 

Carefully, the lizardman handed over the small, squirming bundle. Relieved, Imp crawled up Hordak’s arm and perched on his shoulder, chittering. 

Hordak scratched his crest and smiled. It was becoming easier to smile openly now. “I’m glad to see you again.” 

“[Entrapta],” Imp said in Hordak’s voice, adding a curious chirp at the end.

“Yes, yes. She’s around here somewhere.“

“[FIRST ONES’ TECH!]”

“Naturally.”

He was about to turn away, but Imp leaned forward, using his tail and wings to balance so that he could reach out to his caretakers. “[easy to become attached].”

Tears in his eyes, the sandy-haired one held out his hand. “Bye, little guy. See you—!” His eyes went wide, and the lizardman put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Hordak said, “I am certain you will be welcome in Dryl—and free to visit whenever you like.”

They stared at him with wide eyes. “R-really?!”

Hordak looked skyward. “Yes. We are apparently collecting refugees.” As it turned out, not every kingdom was willing to host former Horde soldiers—Etherian or otherwise. “You would be welcomed as guests or as settlers. It would be your choice.” An explosion went off in the distance, followed by screaming. He eyed the trail of smoke. “Though living in Dryl comes with its own risks.”

“Maybe we’ll just...visit.”

“Hmph. As you wish. Come along, Imp. Let’s find Entrapta.”

“[Entrapta!]” He cheered happily, and his tail curled around the back of Hordak’s neck as they walked away. 

Nevertheless, Hordak saw him looking in the direction of his caretakers long after they were out of sight. “You’ll see them again, Imp. I promise.”

“[promise]!” He punctuated this with a sharp tug on his hair, earning a glare. 

“You may stay here if you wish.” He said it wryly, but there was a real question in his words. 

Imp blew a raspberry at him and settled on his shoulder, little claws digging into his shoulder as if afraid Hordak would disappear out from under him. Hordak simply scritched along the back of his neck, happy to find it unbroken and unmarked.

They had taken good care of Imp, and for that, he would be forever grateful.


	11. Three Bad Days (hurt/comfort, fluff, season 5 spoilers)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chronic pain ebbs and flows. Some days are better than others. Some are worse.
> 
> These are three ‘bad’ days from three very different times in Hordak’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s fluff, I swear, but the first section is definitely angsty.
> 
> Content warning: chronic illness with no easy fixes, chronic pain.

Same days were good. The pain in his withered, traitorous body was manageable and he was able to do what needed to be done. He had the patience to tackle the problems his Force Captains brought to him, and he wasn’t too distracted to make progress on the portal. 

Some days were not. And from the moment he woke up, he knew today would be one of the latter.

It took effort to drag himself to the applicator. Imp followed him there, gliding overhead—not touching him, not making a sound, just eyeing him with concern. He wished he could sleep with his armor on, but over-dependence on it would speed the muscle atrophy. Really, he should do his exercises before putting the armor on at all, but the pain was like a heavy drum beat—constant, insistent, and overwhelming. He couldn’t think, couldn’t focus on more than one task at a time, and right now, “put on his fucking armor so he could function” was overwhelming everything else. He gripped the edge of the console, his breathing heavy as he activated the applicator’s arms. 

The machine was not gentle. He inhaled sharply and bowed forward. The dull drum beat of pain sharpened briefly as the armor plugged into his cybernetic ports. Thankfully, the ordeal was brief. He stood at the console for a little while, catching his breath. The pain was still there. A constant, insistent hum. It was no longer so overwhelming that he couldn’t focus on anything else, but he was definitely aware of it.

A bad day, indeed.

He straightened and walked into his sanctum, picking up a tablet so he could review his notes from the previous day. With the constant, low-grade hum of pain haunting him, it was harder to focus, harder to troubleshoot. He could see that it wasn’t working, but he couldn’t piece together why! He clenched his hand, trying to remember that breaking the tablet would be unproductive—

“Oh, are those your notes from yesterday?” A strand of hair plucked the tablet from his hand. He blinked, then turned to face the princess that had invaded his sanctum so recently, his eyes narrowed and mouth turned down in a snarl. “Fascinating,” she said, drawing out the word as she scanned the tablet. She didn’t seem to notice that he was glaring at her. “Here.” She held out a different tablet. Still sneering, he snatched it from the rope of hair.

“And what am I supposed to do with this?”

She glanced back at him, smiling. “Well,” again, she drew out the word, “I noticed that you prefer electronic copies of your notes, but I’ve always made verbal recordings. So I made a program for Emily! I just plug my recorder in at the end of the night and she transcribes all my notes.”

He blinked, then looked down at the tablet. “That was...considerate.”

She wasn’t listening. Already, she was poking at the machine, consulting his notes and making a few of her own. He expected the princess’s chatter to grate on him, but the cadence and pitch of her voice was soothing rather than annoying. He stood behind her for a while, simply watching her work and listening to her voice. Her rambling narrative plainly laid out the problems with the machine, somehow making it seem so much simpler than his pain-addled mind had been able to parse. He began looking over her notes, pulling up another window and using a stylus to sketch. 

She was more than capable of doing the bulk of the intellectual labor, and though he was frustrated with his present limitations, they were making progress. Frankly, it was nice to shut off and just follow her directions for a time.

Eventually, though, even that was becoming too much. “That’s enough for today.”

“But we have so much we can—“

“Not. Today,” he said through grit teeth. The robot, possessing a good deal more sense than the princess, started to drag her out of his sanctum. 

“Oh. Okay, then. Bye!” She waved her hair at him as the robot took her away. “I’ll just work on the weapons upgrades, then. Should I download those notes for you as well?”

“No.” He just wanted her gone. 

“See you tomorrow!”

The door slammed shut behind her, and he sagged against the consul, his muscles aching. He wouldn’t be able to get anything else done today. “Useless,” he muttered, hating this body, hating that he couldn’t make himself a new one. Nothing else to be done for it now, though. He fully intended to take a sedative and go to sleep—if he didn’t faint while taking off his armor. 

He eyed the applicator with trepidation. Swallowing, he shut his eyes and steeled himself, though he would have thought he was all out of steel for the day. One task left. One. He could do this. 

He dragged himself to the applicator, activating it with the press of a button.

(Long ago, he’d soundproofed the walls of his sanctum. On the bad days, he was grateful for that.)

-

After the defeat of Prime, Hordak woke in the night in a cold sweat, chased by nightmares and—

“No,” he said, bunching the bedroll in one fist. He was doubled over, his whole body cramping hard. He thought—he’d hoped—

(No. He knew better. Prime wouldn’t heal him. He wouldn’t waste the resources. He’d simply pumped Hordak’s body full of a hormone cocktail to dull the pain. And now he was paying the price.)

It felt like his back and shoulder were torn. (It was worth it, though, to have the satisfaction of dangling his creator over the void, his own name a rallying cry. He’d do it again, if he could. A thousand times over.) And to make matters worse, he could feel the first symptoms of withdrawal creeping up on him. Sweat was collecting in the hollow of his spine, and he was already starting to shiver. He forced himself upright, clenching his fist.

“Brother?”

On the other side of the tent, the newly dubbed ‘Kadroh’ sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Are you alright?”

He swallowed, eyeing the walls of the tent. “It’s late. Go back to sleep.”

“You’re not sleeping.” In the dark, Kadroh shifted and wiggled out of his sleeping bag. “Brother—“

His hand closed around Hordak’s wrist, and Hordak snarled, pulling away. “Don’t!”

Luminous green eyes went wide, then shut tight. “I’m sorry.” His voice was small and soft. “I-I don’t know what I did, but I didn’t mean it.”

Hordak drew in on himself, angry at his own reaction and the pure injustice of it all. Kadroh didn’t deserve this. “It’s not your fault. I’m...hurt,” he admitted quietly, “Go back to sleep. There’s nothing you can do.”

“We have medpacks, first aid supplies. What do you need?”

“Cybernetic armor.”

“Oh. I don’t think we have that....”

“Go back to sleep, Kadroh.” A soft, distressed chirp escaped him, reminding Hordak of Imp. “I’ll be fine. I’m used to it.” Not quite a lie. It was certainly an expected part of life, but not an aspect he’d really ever adjusted to. 

“Okay, brother. You’ll wake me if you need me?”

“Yes,” he grit out, clenching his hand to resist snapping at him. Finally, Kadroh curled up on his bedroll, and while Hordak wasn’t sure whether he slept or not, at least he wasn’t talking. 

Hordak bowed over his folded knees, wishing he could sleep, knowing he couldn’t if he wanted to be able to move in the morning. With effort, clenching his jaw to keep from making any embarrassing sounds, he stood. His arm hung limp, nearly useless. With a glance at Kadroh, Hordak opened the tent flap and stepped outside. The other tents were arranged in neat rows, all of them standing silently in the moonlight. He slipped past them, making his way into the woods. Not so far as to get lost, but far enough to be allowed some privacy.

He pulled off his cloak, but retained his tabard, moving slowly. He tried to move his arm, but the sharp pain stopped him. For a few heartbeats, he simply stood there, breathing hard and clenching his jaw. Slowly, he uncurled from his pained hunch. He’d been without his armor before. He could do this. He could.

With care, he stretched the muscles of his other arm. They slowly unknotted, and the pain eased from the sharp, cutting pain of before to a deep ache that, while unpleasant, was manageable. The arm he’d used to throw Prime was too painful to move, though, and should probably be wrapped at least. He rolled his shoulder and his neck, using his good hand to manipulate the muscle manually. 

By the end of his exercises, the sun was starting to rise, and he could feel the fine tremor in his muscles, but at least he could stand upright. He used the cloak to wipe the sweat from his face and body, eyeing the sky as he did. He needed to return soon, but he hesitated.

He wouldn’t be able to hide his weakness. Without his armor, without a safe place to retreat for privacy, everyone in the camp would see. He shut his eyes, sighing.

There was nothing to be done for it.

He took a breath and started forward, head bowed and ears drooping. 

As he reached the camp’s edge, he could already see that plenty of his former enemies (and former allies) were awake. Unable to help himself, he searched out Entrapta, smiling when he saw here. Despite the pain in his traitorous body, he couldn’t count a day in her company as ‘bad’.

When she saw him, she came bounding over. She stopped short, though, using her hair to touch him rather than her hands, and she wasn’t smiling this time. Her brow was creased with worry. “Kadroh said you got up in the middle of the night. He said you were hurt?”

“No more so than usual.”

One rope of hair touched his limp arm. “Really?”

He flushed and lifted his chin. “It was worth it.”

She drew herself up on her hair, hands behind her back. “You were amazing.” His cheeks grew hotter, but a smug smirk found its way to his face. A lock of hair brushed his cheek and he turned into it, shutting his eyes.

Her hair caught him up, the many tendrils distributing his weight evenly so there was no additional pressure on any single appendage. His eyes snapped open. “Entrapta—“

She gently set him on top of Emily. “Let’s get that arm taken care of.”

“I can walk without assistance.” 

“Hmmm-hmmm. And I’d like to keep it that way. Why don’t you take a little break right now so you’re not as worn out later?”

He huffed, but had no real objection to that. Emily started to follow Entrapta. He used his good arm to brace himself, but he found it really wasn’t necessary. She was being remarkably careful not to jostle him, and Entrapta kept a steadying strand of hair at his back. “I see you fixed her leg.”

“Oh, well, it took a few tries but I got it eventually!” She rummaged through a supply bag, then laid out a medkit. “Here we go. Are you attached to this shirt?”

“I will be burning it along with this tabard when I have a change of clothes at hand.”

“Good!”

Cheerfully, she cut away the sleeve so she could get a better look at his arm. “No external injuries. I think you probably sprained something.”

“Most likely. As I told Kadroh, there’s nothing to be—“

“Frosta! Perfuma! Can you come here?”

“What are you doing?!”

“They can help.”

His ears flattened, and he tucked his arm against his side, cradling it with his good arm. “That’s not necessary.”

“Hordak! You’ll feel better if we put some ice on it, and Perfuma can—“

“You called us over?” The willowy woman asked. Perfuma, Hordak had to guess. The other princess was likely Frosta, judging by her garb and her age. She was appraising Hordak through narrow, suspicious eyes. Hordak was happy to return her glare. 

“Can you make some of your willowbark tea?Hordak hurt himself during the battle yesterday, and some of your tea would probably help.”

“Fighting rebels?” Frosta asked archly.

“No,” Hordak said sharply. To Entrapta, he said, “This really isn’t necessary.”

She leaned forward, cupping his face. “You hurt yourself protecting me. Let me at least help you feel better?” He looked away, glaring at nothing. “Please?” With a huff, he silently held out his arm as much as he could, wincing a little as he did. She lifted it carefully, looking to her friends. “Frosta, can you make some ice?”

The ice princess was silent for a beat, then she blurted out, “Does your arm have a hole in it?” while Perfuma simultaneously cried out, “Entrapta! That needs more than willowbark! That needs—oh my word, I don’t even know where to begin! Where’s the medic—?!”

“I do not require a medic!” he snapped. He’d have withdrawn his arm, but putting any force behind his movements only caused the ache to sharpen. “It’s not a wound—it’s just...just a defect.” He couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice.

Entrapta grew suddenly uncertain, her features troubled. Her hair coiled around his waist and shoulders, and she looked between them. “You will help him, won’t you?” 

He was not comforted by her uncertainty. Before he could pull his arm back—pain be damned—Frosta was leaning close, pushing her fingers into the space between his ulna and radius. “Cool.”

“Frosta!” Perfuma pulled her back, shaking her head and eyeing the two of them carefully. “So, if that’s not it, then where are you hurt?”   


Hordak didn’t reply at first, looking to Entrapta for guidance, but she seemed just as lost as he felt. Lifting his chin—he didn’t face down his creator and conquer a world to cower—he said, voice even and steady, “The muscles in my arm and shoulder, and a few connected muscle groups in my back.”

Perfuma came close, and the fingers in his free hand clenched as his chest tightened. “What happened?” She felt along his arm, her touch light and careful.

“How come you get to—?” Frosta protested. 

“He threw Horde Prime into the void.”

“What?!”

Frosta blinked, then she grinned. Her hands balled into fists, lifting subconsciously. “That’s so cool! What happened? How’d you break free of his mind control?”

He and Entrapta shared a look. She still seemed unsure, so Hordak answered. “I’d been reconditioned twice since arriving on his ship, but my memories of Entrapta were very persistent. When he ordered me to shoot her, I could not. Would not.” Reflexively, he touched his sternum, though his crystal no longer rested there. She smiled at him, and his features softened. 

“I knew you’d remember.”

“You are impossible to forget.”

Perfuma looked between them, covering her mouth. “Oh. Oh, I see. That’s....” She cleared her throat. “Frosta, ice please.”

“But—“

“Ice! Wrap it in a cloth so we don’t cause any further harm. Let’s see—how bad is the pain? I can make something stronger than willowbark if you need it.”  Not having a basis of comparison, he just looked at her blankly. She sighed. “We’ll start with willowbark, then.”

He nodded, jolting when something cold pressed to his upper arm. Frosta smirked, then wrapped an ice-cold cloth around his arm. The relief was almost immediate, and he had to withhold a sigh.   
  
“Thanks, guys,” Entrapta said when Perfuma returned with the requested tea. 

Hordak nodded, glancing at Entrapta. “Yes. Thank you. This was...kind.”

Frosta leaned in. “So. Did he scream? When he fell?”

“Frosta!”

Hordak smirked. “Yes.”

“Very cool.”

-

He woke before dawn, and already, he could tell that today would be bad. Everything hurt, down to his very bones. He started to rise, but he took a moment to gather himself before he stood, sitting on the edge of the bed with his head bowed.

A gentle tendril of hair ran from his cervical port to his dorsal port. “Hordak?”

“I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”

The hair coiled loosely around his waist, replaced by a hand at his nape. She put no pressure into her touch, not wanting to hurt him further. “Is it bad today?”

“I just need my implants.”

“Let me get them for you.”

He started to protest—he really hadn’t meant to wake her—but she was already on her feet and at the charging dock. She pulled the implants from the dock and checked them over before returning to his side. Gently, she wrapped one arm around his chest, bracing him. “Ready?”

He gave a sharp nod, already steeling himself. She pushed the first implant into his cervical port, and he hissed, arching his back. The sharp sting was followed quickly by a wash of relief. He barely noticed when she pressed the next implant into his dorsal port. “Better?”

“Yes.”

“I think I can make it sting less if I tinker a little,” she said, gaze going distant as she started to think.

“Later,” he insisted, turning around so he could pull her into his arms. She looped her arms over his shoulders, and he rested his chin in the crook of her neck. Her hair wrapped them both in a warm, protective cocoon. “Thank you,” he murmured. In reply, she kissed his cheek, his pulse-point, and the edge of his ear. 

A deep ache still suffused his muscles, and he knew he’d have to take it easy today—no heavy lifting, no armor—but it would be manageable. Especially with Entrapta by his side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually consider chronic illness to be a hard no for me in fiction, so it was very tempting to look at the finale and just let my boy be healed...but I felt that would be doing a disservice to his character and what he represents.


	12. Happiness (recovery, hurt/comfort)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little awkward around the fire after Prime’s defeat.

“So, brother, how did you get to Etheria?”

Hordak didn’t look up. Entrapta and Kadroh had dragged him to the fire when everyone settled down for dinner. He was extremely aware of the Etherians’ eyes on him—some friendlier than others. “I’m not certain that revisiting the past is wise at this moment,” he said, trying to hide his discomfort. 

“Gee. Why not?” the princess of Salineas asked.

He glanced up at her, ears twitching. Beside him, Entrapta wrapped her hair around his waist and shoulders. Looking around the fire, he realized that he knew the titles and powers of everyone gathered, but he only knew a few of their names. For a very long time, these people had been nothing more than obstacles to him. He didn’t hate them or resent them for their actions—he actually found himself feeling fondly for Adora and Scorpia—yet he could clearly tell that many, if not all, of the people around the fire hated him. 

He lowered his gaze. Perhaps they did deserve an explanation. With a sigh, he said, “I’m still not fully sure what happened. I was separated from my brothers on the battlefield; a portal pulled me through and deposited me here. At first, I thought it was part of my punishment or maybe a test, but....” He shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense now.”

“Why would Prime be punishing you?” Catra asked, brows furrowed.

Shame still lingering, Hordak looked away and confessed softly, “I was...am flawed.” He smoothed a hand over his forearm, aware of the gap between his bones. “I took pride in my work. I thought of myself as clever. Special. When Prime discovered the flaws in my thinking, he attempted to purify my thoughts—“

“Prime is merciful,” Kadroh agreed reflexively. Then he realized what he’d said and his eyes grew wide and he covered his mouth with both hands. 

The boy beside him just threw an arm around his shoulders. “It’s okay, buddy. We know you didn’t mean that.”

Kadroh nodded, ears drooping. “Thank you. Brother, what happened then?”

“The purification ritual failed.” He couldn’t repress a shudder. “I do not remember how many times he tried—“

“Wait. You went through that multiple times?” Hordak looked at Catra, remembering chanting with his brothers when she underwent her own purification.

“Yes. My body gave out before I could be purified to Prime’s satisfaction. He recognized my willingness to serve had not wavered, so he allowed me the honor of dying in his service, rather than executing me. Then the portal sent me here. You know the rest.”

She swore under her breath and stood, beginning to pace. Adora stood too, ready to reach for her, but Catra stopped suddenly, glaring at him. “So, you went through a portal and ended up here. You were free! Why would you—? Why would you try to bring him here?”

Hordak looked at her, his ears drawn back, then he looked around the fire at the others. “Isn’t it obvious? If your god cast you out of heaven, what wouldn’t you do to be back in his grace?”

Kadroh was looking down at the ground, nodding softly. He understood. Everyone else just stared at him in horror. 

It was Adora who broke the silence. Delicately, she asked, “You know...you know that’s...wrong, right?”

“Now? Yes. Prime was no god. Not a good one, at least. Not merciful, no matter what he told us. If I could go back....” He looked at the fire and sighed, knowing that was not an option. “I am sorry, for the suffering I have caused. I thought....” He shook his head. It didn’t matter what he thought. He’d been wrong, and he knew that now. 

He stood, facing Adora, and he bowed low. “Thank you, She-Ra. For freeing my people from him. I am in your debt. And in debt to Etheria. I know it won’t erase my past wrongdoings, but if there is something I can do to help restore your world, I will do it.”

When he straightened, Adora was rubbing the crook of her elbow and looking anywhere but at him. “Okay. Um. Let’s just...eat dinner and not talk about anybody being in anyone’s debt. Okay? Okay.”

She quickly sat down and began eating her food with remarkable speed. He looked at Entrapta, who shrugged. He sat back down, not really sure what to do with himself. Across the fire, the Salineas princess said, “Awkward,” under her breath.

The boy beside Kadroh cleared his throat. “So, Entrapta, now that the war’s over, do you think we can restart the Makers’ Guild?”

Entrapta exclaimed in excitement and the two of them began talking enthusiastically about their guild. There was a brief moment of tension when Entrapta grabbed his hand and said, “Oh, Hordak! Would you want to join the guild? Bow, can you imagine—alien tech and First Ones’ tech?! The possibilities are endless!” But, slowly, the mood around the fire began to ease, bolstered by their happy chatter. 

As the evening dragged on and the air chilled, he noticed that Entrapta was shivering, but she was too involved in her conversation with Bow to retrieve a cloak for herself. With a touch to her shoulder, he murmured, “I’ll be back,” then started toward her tent. As he walked, he noticed that the Salineas princess was following him. He glanced back at the fire, where the others were too busy talking to take notice. “Princess.”

She stood in front of him, arms crossed. “Hmmph. You meant that? About restoring Etheria?”

“It is not in my nature to lie.” 

“First Ones, you’re so weird—‘yes’ or ‘no’?”

“Yes. I meant it.”

“Good. You can start with Salineas.”

He nodded, remembering the damage that had been done to the seaside kingdom. “I believe I can—“

“Don’t care,” she said, already walking away. “Just fix it.”

His ears drew back; he was not fond of being dismissed. However...he started to think about the sea wall and the damage done to her kingdom. It should be easy enough to rebuild, with time and resources. He wondered, too, if the princess had ever considered building a desalination plant. The inland villages had rich soil, but the region suffered frequent droughts. A desalination plant and a proper irrigation system could make life a little easier for them. Why simply rebuild when he could improve it as well?

When he retrieved Entrapta’s cloak, he grabbed a tablet and stylus as well, already making plans. Back at the fire, he draped the cloak over her shoulders and settled beside her once again. Across the fire, Scorpia made a strange sound. “Force Ca—Princess Scorpia? Is something wrong?”

“No! Nope! Nothing wrong!” Her voice was inordinately high pitched, and one of her claws was pressed to her mouth. The tall, willowy princess at her side was staring at him and Entrapta intently. 

He had no idea what to make of that. Before he could draw any conclusions, Entrapta drew the cloak around his shoulders as well, cuddling into his side. “Thanks!” she said, looking up at him, “I didn’t even realize I was cold.”

“You’re welcome.” He sighed, looking back at Scorpia in response to the strange sound she’d made. “Are you quite sure you’re well, Force Captain?”

She nodded vigorously, one claw pressed to her mouth. “Mmmh-hmmm.” 

He eyed her suspiciously, but ultimately decided to let it go. Instead, he chose to let Entrapta’s happy babble wash over him as he drew up plans for Salineas. Hordak smiled fondly, happy to hear her voice, happy to be beside her, happy to hear her plans. Just. 

Happy.


	13. 3 Tumblr Drabbles (fluff and nonsense)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three Tumblr drabbles that were too short for their own chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Sexual humor in the last drabble.

I. 

Hordak read through the treaty. It was a formality, really. The Etherian Horde had been scattered, and the Fright Zone was a mess. Assuming he even had the desire to pursue the war further, which he did not. 

He was rather grateful that the Princess Alliance had no particular desire to perpetuate it either. That gave him a little bit of bargaining space, should he need it. Though....

“I don’t see anything in here that I find particularly objectionable, but I require a clarification on passage XV.”

“Oh. Yeah. Sure.” Adora looked over at Micah. “What’s that one again?”

Micah searched for the passage. “I think it was about science or something.”

Hordak tried very hard not to sigh and wonder how these people managed to defeat Prime. “It states that any experiments Entrapta or I engage in must first be submitted to an ethics committee for approval.”

“Oh. Yeah! Of course.”

He waited a beat, but no clarification was forthcoming. “Who would be part of this committee? You understand that there are those who would block perfectly ethical experiments out of spite.”

They looked at each other. “Well.”

“Um.”

“And how will they determine what is or is not ‘ethical’? Do they have a standard? Or will they just reject an experiment if it makes them uncomfortable? Science is not comfortable. It sometimes requires making difficult or uncomfortable decisions. Will this committee understand that, or will they demand that everything be unicorns and rainbows?”

Adora snorted, then covered her mouth when Micah and Hordak looked at her. “Sorry. Just—‘unicorns and rainbows’. Not anything I ever thought I’d hear.... You know what? Never mind.” She cleared her throat and schooled her features. “Let’s continue.”

Hordak did not hold back an irritated huff this time. “Furthermore, with magic’s resurgence, I feel I must ask—will the sorcerers of Mystacor be subject to the same ethics committee? I believe you, of all people, should understand that magic can be just as dangerous—if not more so.”

Micah sighed deeply and rolled up the treaty. “I’ll be back. Adora—keep our guest company.”

“Oh. Um. Okay! I’ll just.” She looked at Hordak, then started to twiddle her thumbs. “Do that. So. How’re things?” 

His ears twitched. Perhaps this would take longer than he’d assumed.

II.

“Darla!” Entrapta ran past Bow, Glimmer, Adora, and Catra. “I’ve missed you! Did they take care of you while you were gone?”

Hordak smiled fondly, shaking his head just a little. When he saw their expressions, though, he realized they probably needed an explanation. “Do not be offended; she is happy to see you as well. She spent the last three days working on the staff, just to make sure everything would be perfect for your arrival. There will be time to catch up with you during the festivities. Darla will have to wait outside.”

“That...makes a weird amount of sense,” said Adora, rubbing the back of her neck. 

“Did you collect those samples?” he asked Bow, who nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah—it’s all in the hold of the ship.”

“Excellent.” He pulled up his tablet and typed in some instructions. “I’ll unload those while Kadroh shows you to your rooms.“

Catra’s ears perked. “You, uh? Want some help with that?”

His ears flattened. Her hands were stuffed into her pockets, her head down as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “That would be appreciated.”

He wasn’t sure why she’d asked to help, but he didn’t see the harm. She didn’t speak again until they were in the ship’s hold. “So, you look...good.”

He stopped and stared at her, ears folding back. “What?”

She threw her hands up in the air. “It’s just—it’s what you say to people when you haven’t seen them in a long time, okay? You look good. You look. Happy, or something.”

He narrowed his eyes, then huffed. “Thank you. I...” He touched the crystal at his throat. “I am. You seem to be doing...well?” He hadn’t meant it to come out as a question, but it definitely sounded that way.

“Yeah. I’m...thanks.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Is that new armor?”

He raised an arm, smiling as he flexed it. The metal was more closely integrated with his biological portions, sleek and elegant. “Yes—Entrapta and I designed it. She is....” He covered his mouth, hiding the smile he couldn’t hold back. He cleared his throat and lowered his hand, schooling his features. “Very capable.”

She laughed openly. “Oh, man. You have it bad, don’t you?”

He huffed, lifting his chin. “And how are you and Adora?”

Her features froze, then she started to circle the hold, pretending to examine the contents. “Oh, yoh know. She’s fine. We’re fine.”

He crossed his arms, watching her play at indifference. “Just ‘fine’? Hmmm. Perhaps I should tell Kadroh to prepare a third room, then—“

“What?! No, we—!”

He smirked and she groaned, running a hand down her face. “Okay! Geeze, you caught me! I...I love her or whatever. What do you want, a prize?”

He straightened, his smirk gentling. “I am glad. For both of you.” 

She glanced at him. “...yeah? Well, I’m glad for you and Entrapta, too. I’m glad everything turned out okay, you know?”

He nodded once. “As am I.” 

They shared a look, then Catra ducked past him. “So, what do you want with those  samples, huh?”

III. 

Hordak was leaning over the work bench, studying a little bot’s internal gyroscope, when Entrapta passed him. A rope of hair left a mug of cocoa and a plate of tiny food within hand’s reach. He was about to thank her, when—“Did you just pinch me?”

“What!? No! Don’t be ridiculous! Why would I pinch you?”

He gave her a look. He didn’t know what kind of game she was playing, but he had no intention of arguing about it. “I wouldn’t know.”

Smiling, she returned to her work station a couple meters away. He watched her until she returned to her work. Only then did he bend back over the desk. 

A moment later—“Entrapta!”

“What? I’m all the way over here—how could I possibly pinch you?” He eyed her hair. She just grinned at him.

On the other side of the lab, Bow asked meekly, “Can you guys...not do that while I’m here?”

“I did nothing!”

“Oh, come on, Bow. You and Glimmer don’t—?”

“Ah! No! I don’t want to know!” He covered his ears and started humming.

A little while later, when Hordak felt yet another little pinch—really, it was more of a ‘squeeze’ than a pinch—to his left gluteal, he sighed. “Would you like to take a break, then?”

“Oh, good—I was afraid you weren’t picking up on my hints. I didn’t just want to come out and ask while Bow was here.”

From the other side of the lab, Bow made a low, despairing sound. “Why are you two like this?”


	14. Nicknames (hurt/comfort, fluff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Entrapta is injured while she and Hordak are visiting Salineas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Dire injury, discomfort with hospitals/doctors. 
> 
> Everyone lives! It’s not that kind of story.

Hordak was trying very hard not to lose his patience. This was Mermista’s kingdom. She had every reason to be angry with him and every reason to want the repairs to be done properly. He understood that. He respected that. 

He did not understand why she had to be so infuriating, though.

“That isn’t possible.” He spoke through grit teeth.

“Why not?”

“Because I cannot break the laws of thermodynamics.”

“Ugh, you’re so useless. Why can’t you and Geek Princess just—?”

His shoulders went stiff. “What did you just call her?” His ears flattened and he bared his teeth, leaning forward. 

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she said, waving one hand as if in dismissal. “I don’t see why you can’t break the law of thermowhatever. It’s not like you’re a law-abiding citizen or anything.”

“You are dating a pirate!”

“So?”

He took a deep breath, looking down at the blueprints and counting to ten very slowly. His claws left dents in the edges of the table. “Do you want me to start on this project or not?” He bit out each word, trying to keep his breathing even.

“I guess. I mean, if this is really the best you can do.”

He was definitely asking Adora if she’d be willing to come to Salineas to serve as a buffer. Though enthusiastic, Entrapta was not an especially effective peacekeeper. She had ooh-ed when she saw the tall spire of alien tech and immediately scrambled up the side, using her hair to do so. Additionally, every time Mermista called her ‘Geek Princess’, Hordak came that much closer to losing it. He’d only managed to keep his temper because Entrapta didn’t seem to mind the designation.

“Yes. This is the best I can do. This is the best anyone can do without breaking the the laws of physics.”

“Fine. So, how long is this going to take?”

He took a deep breath, preparing to reply—then he heard an explosion. He turned, just in time to see Entrapta fall, smoke billowing and electricity still crackling. 

Everything slowed down. He could hear his heartbeat thrumming in his ears. 

No. 

_No!_

He was moving, running. She hit the ground hard enough that her body bounced when it struck. He could hear someone calling her name repeatedly as he knelt beside her. (Later, he would realize it was him, his panicked voice calling for her.) 

His training kicked in immediately, and he checked her pulse first, relief causing him to gasp when he found it. “Get a medic!” Her pulse was weak, though, and he realized she wasn’t breathing. He checked her airways for blockages, then he began chest compressions. “Where the fuck is that medic?!”

Mermista stood behind him. “Coming. They’re coming. Is she going to be okay?” Her indifferent tone had evaporated. 

“Yes,” he said, because the alternative was unthinkable.

Mermista knelt beside her, looking lost. “C’mon, Geek Princess. Come back to us.”

He barely spared her a thought, only watching Entrapta. Waiting for her to—

She inhaled on her own, and a relieved sound escaped him, something between a laugh and a sob. He checked her pulse again and began counting her breaths. She started to stir, eyes opening to narrow slits. “H-Hordak?”

“I’m here.” Her hand twitched, and he took hold of it, smoothing her hair out of her face. “A medic is coming. You’re going to be all right.”

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered, her hand clinging to his with surprising strength. 

“I won’t.”

She shut her eyes, smiling a little. “I should record this,” she croaked. 

“There will be time to record your experience later,” he promised her, throat tight. The implication—that she would have to survive in order to record her data—remained unspoken. 

The medics arrived, shouldering Hordak and Mermista aside. Entrapta’s eyes shot open when his hand was torn from hers. “Hordak?!”

“I’m still here. The medics are checking you for injuries. They’re going to touch you, but only to determine if it’s safe to move you. I will not endanger you by getting in their way, but I am monitoring them to ensure they do their job properly.”

“Okay. You won’t leave?” Her voice was soft and small, uncharacteristically so.

“Never.”

“Okay.”

The nervous-sounding medics began to ask her a series of questions, and with each answer, Hordak felt some of his tension ease. She was awake and aware. She was going to be okay. 

She was going to be okay. 

-

The makeshift hospital was small and space was at a premium. Thin sheets were strung between each patient’s cot, offering only the semblance of privacy. Nevertheless, Hordak refused to move from Entrapta’s side, staring down every doctor and nurse that dared suggest he might be comfortable elsewhere or reminding him that visiting hours were over. For her part, Entrapta was actually resting—aided, no doubt, by the painkillers, which left her drowsy.  They’d spent one night here already, and the doctors had suggested they stay for another. Already, his muscles had grown stiff and achy from sleeping in the camp chair beside Entrapta’s cot, but it was worth it to be there when Entrapta woke in the night—twice—and reached for his hand, calling for him. 

He’d never forgive himself if she’d looked for him and he hadn’t been there. 

A small commotion at the hall’s entrance caught his attention, soon explained by Imp chattering and chittering as he dodged around the nurses and doctors. Hordak sighed, grabbing Imp by the loose skin at the back of his neck before he could jump onto Entrapta. Imp screeched, and Hordak hissed in reply, silencing him. Imp crossed his arms, hanging in Hordak’s grip. “Be quiet. She is resting. Do not disturb—“

“Imp?” Groggy, Entrapta opened her eyes and reached for him. “Aw, you came to see me? C’mere.”

Imp and Hordak exchanged a look. Imp stuck his tongue out, and Hordak dropped him in response. A moment later, Imp climbed up onto the cot and tucked himself beside Entrapta, chirping happily. Hordak huffed, choosing to ignore the smug looks Imp sent his way. 

A doctor appeared at the foot of Entrapta’s cot, eyeing the three of them with a mix of irritation and exasperation. “That—“ She pointed at Imp, “—cannot stay.” Entrapta’s arm tightened around Imp, and a soft, scared sound escaped her.

“I invite you to try removing him,” Hordak replied placidly. The little hellion bared his teeth and hunkered down, prepared to defend his position.

The doctor gave a long-suffering sigh and left, leaving them to themselves. Entrapta smiled, petting Imp. “Thanks,” she whispered.

Hordak nodded, arms crossed. Carefully, he said, “I am getting the impression that you don’t like doctors. Or hospitals.” Entrapta had always seemed fearless, yet from the moment the medics appeared, she had been on edge and fearful, nearly unable to find her voice. Her normal exuberance was muted and repressed. 

She snuggled close to Imp, who chirruped softly and nuzzled into her side. “I don’t.” Her voice was soft. He waited to see if she would elaborate further, but she didn’t, and he didn’t want to pry. She would tell him when she was ready. 

Her hand reached for his. They’d taken her gloves, revealing the scarring that covered her hands and arms. He knew that skin was sensitive, so he allowed her to grip his hand without putting undo pressure on hers. “I will stay,” he reiterated. “I won’t leave you.”

“Thanks.”

She shut her eyes and started to drift off again. He adjusted himself, trying to find a more comfortable position. He read from his tablet while she slept, occasionally glaring at any doctors or nurses that gave him a side-eyed look as they passed her cot.

So he was already glaring when he heard someone pause at the foot of Entrapta’s cot, but to his surprise, it was Mermista standing there, a pack slung over one shoulder. “Princess.” His voice was soft so as not to disturb Entrapta. “Nice of you to visit.” After Entrapta had already been here for nearly a day.

“Apparently patients are only allowed one visitor at a time.” She looked at Imp. “They’re also only supposed to be here during visiting hours.” She looked at him. “The nurse finally gave up and let me in.”

If she’d thought to embarrass him, it wasn’t working. He just gave her a look and returned to his tablet, though he really wasn’t reading anymore. “Considerate of her.”

She looked at their clasped hands. “So. You and Geek Princess are really a thing, huh?”

He didn’t look up, just took a slow breath. “I do not know to what ‘thing’ you are referring.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. “Ugh. Hordak, you’re holding hands with her. You’re doing the whole ‘sleeping by her hospital bed’ thing. It’s, like, a huge cliche. So stop pretending you don’t know you’re together.”

He flexed his ears. “Of course we’re together. Both of us are here. Together.”

She stared at him, then groaned. “Okay, fine. Be super weird about it. That’s cool and not confusing at all. Look, just....” She crossed her arms and looked away, brows drawn down. “Be good to her, okay? She’s super weird and kind of confusing and a huge geek—oh, wow, okay, actually now that I’m saying it out loud, I think I actually, like, get it. But the point is, she’s a good person and she doesn’t deserve to have her heart broken. Got it?”

He blinked, then narrowed his eyes and flattened his ears. “I do not understand you. At all. But I assure you I have no intention of harming Entrapta.”

“Good. ‘Cause if you did, I’d have to kick your ass and that’s, like, a lot of work.”

“You are—“

Entrapta stirred. “Mermista?”

Hordak fell silent, and Mermista laid a hand on her shoulder, standing on the other side of Entrapta’s cot. “Hey, Geek Princess. Feeling better?”

“Oh, yeah. A lot better. Though that could just be the painkillers.”

“Good. ‘Cause Spacebat needs to get back to rebuilding Salineas, and I don’t think he’s leaving until you’re better.”

Hordak blinked. It took him a moment to realize who she was referring to. “What did you just call me?”

Mermista ignored him, pulling the bag off her shoulder and plopping it down on Entrapta’s bed. “Anyway, while you’re stuck here, I brought you a bunch of my Mer-Mystery books so you don’t get bored out of your mind.”

“Aw, thanks! That’s so nice of you!”

“Yeah, if you crack the spines, I’ll do the same to you. Anyway, get better soon or whatever.”

She waved as she left, and Hordak blinked, looking between her and Entrapta. “I heard her correctly, right? She called me—“

“Spacebat!” Entrapta said, smiling broadly as she sorted through the books. “It’s cute! I think she’s warming up to you.”

He huffed. “I believe I preferred it when she hated me.” He made an inquiring chirp when Entrapta held out one of the books to him.

“Will you read to me?”

He took the book, one ear folding back. “You want me to...?”

“Read it to me!” She squirmed on the cot, finding a more comfortable place—and jostling Imp in the process. He screeched and darted away, settling on Hordak’s shoulder. “You have a really nice voice. It’s soothing.”

Imp opened his mouth to repeat something, but Hordak shut his mouth with one finger. He did not need Imp adding to his current embarrassment. 

“As you wish.” He cleared his throat and opened the book to the first page. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, but Hordak and Entrapta are the epitome of "I didn't know we were dating".


	15. Coffee (angst, hurt/comfort, political drama)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Hordak and the Princess Alliance argue over the terms of their peace treaty, Kadroh is having troubles of his own, unbeknownst to the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: references to past mind control, references to systemic racism.
> 
> A/N: I’m playing with canon a bit. I have trouble with black and white thinking, so I’m introducing some shades of grey here.

“Hello, brother! Good morning!”

Hordak looked up as Kadroh approached, crossing his arms as he waited for the machine behind him to finish its work. “I believe a single greeting is customary, though I would argue that it’s unnecessary as we saw each other less than a day prior.”

“He’s being polite,” Adora said, smiling at Kadroh as she filled her mug from the carafe of coffee the staff had provided. “Good morning, Wro—Um. Kadroh. Did you sleep well?”

Kadroh inhaled and held his breath. They waited. Hordak sighed as the machine behind him started to steam. “Are you well?”

He gave a short, sharp nod. “Yes! I just don’t know how to answer Miss Adora’s question.”

Hordak’s ears folded back. “I believe such questions are generally intended to be polite but unsubstantive.”

“What?” 

Hordak turned, watching the machine deposit a small amount of black liquid into the tiny cup. “It’s a meaningless question and you aren’t obligated to give a meaningful answer.”

“Oh. Is there a purpose to that sort of question?”

“Not as far as I can tell.”

Adora rubbed her forehead. “Maybe _Hordak_ isn’t the best person to help you understand Etherian culture.”

“Oh? Was anything I said inaccurate?” He spooned sugar into the tiny cup, stirring with an equally tiny spoon. 

“Well—no, but....” She groaned. “You’re missing the point entirely.”

“And what is the point?”

She threw her hands up. “I don’t know! It’s a conversation starter!”

“I see. It appears to have done its job; we seem to be having a conversation.”

Adora ran a hand down her face, groaning. Hordak ignored her and eyed the little cup in his hands, wondering if he’d added enough sugar. Deciding that Entrapta could always add more if needed—but she certainly couldn’t precipitate out any excess—he started to leave, but Kadroh stopped him.

“Brother, what is that?”

“Hmm? Oh. Expresso. Entrapta is not fond of coffee, but she enjoys the caffeine. The plentiful sugar makes up for the lack of bubbles, I believe.” Adora looked at him like he’d just done something both outrageous and somewhat threatening, which he decided to ignore. He certainly wasn’t doing anything wrong, and he had no idea why she was looking at him like that. 

“Caffeine?” Kadroh asked. 

“A mild stimulant. Many Etherians use it to help them wake up in the morning.”

“It keeps them awake?” Hordak nodded. “Is it poisonous for us?”

“No, but—“ Kadroh took the small cup from his hands and downed its contents in one go. Hordak’s ears folded back, and Adora gaped at him as he smiled and returned the cup to Hordak’s hands. With a huff, Hordak finished by saying, “But as I am not fond of coffee, I haven’t done extensive testing.” Glaring, he started the machine again. “This one is for Entrapta—“ He added a soft growl for emphasis, “—and you will accompany me as I deliver it. If you have a bad reaction, I want to be close by.”

“Thank you, brother! I appreciate your concern.”

He huffed. “At the moment, I’m primarily interested in recording possible side effects, but perhaps I will be in a more generous mood if you begin convulsing.”

He prepared the next small cup for Entrapta, shielding it protectively as Kadroh followed him down the hall and back to Entrapta’s room. He showed some signs of jitteriness and some mild anxiety, but otherwise seemed fine.

(Hordak would not admit to himself or anyone that he was grateful for that.)

The next few days were interesting. And frustrating. All of them were tired of fighting, but crafting a workable peace treaty was proving somewhat challenging, though Catra was proving herself a valuable ally once again. When he’d first regained himself, it had been tempting to keep hold of his anger with her, but Entrapta had forgiven her so easily, and he well knew what she had experienced onboard Prime’s ship. In the end, they both simply let go of their grievances without a word, understanding passing between them with nothing more than a subtle nod. 

Though it was probably awkward for Catra to sit on his side of the bargaining table, while her love stood between to act as arbitrator. She was hardly a neutral party, but she was more sympathetic to the Horde than the others sitting on Bright Moon’s side of the table.

“I am happy to guarantee the peaceful return of Scorpia’s birthright to her—“ Never mind that he still didn’t fully understand the concept of a ‘birthright’. “—when I have it in writing that my brethren will not be held responsible for their actions while under Prime’s control. And the Etherian Horde will not be discriminated against for their actions in wartime.”

“Of course they won’t! What kind of people do you think we are?”

“There is a reason my armies were composed primarily of Reptilians and other races that are not ‘cute’ in the eyes of most Etherians.”

“What are you implying?”

“I’m implying that the Scorpion kingdom was keen for an alliance because they and their people have not always been treated fairly!”

He stood with his hands splayed on the table before him, red eyes narrowed. Glimmer stood across from him, just as angry as he. “That’s not true!”

“Learn your history, little queen. Study more than your own propaganda.”

“Propaganda?! You’re one to talk about—!”

“Okay! Okay!” The She-Ra held out an arm. “Why don’t we all just...settle down and take a break for lunch? Everyone will be in a better mood after eating, right?”

Glimmer and Hordak slowly backed down, but both continued to glare. “Fine,” the queen said, “I hope our guests enjoy Bright Moon’s hospitality.” 

He huffed, but Catra yawned, smacking him on the shoulder as she did. He glared, but she just said, “Sounds good to us. Right, ‘boss’?”

He didn’t enjoy the way she said that. Nonetheless, he respected her instincts in this regard. “Fine. We will continue this later.”

“Fine,” the queen said.

He bit his tongue. She could have the last word if it made her feel better. He just offered a subtle nod, then walked out of the war room, which Bow now insisted they refer to as the ‘Peace Room’. Kadroh was sitting against the wall opposite the door, cradling a mug of coffee between his hands. Hordak didn’t understand the appeal; it was foul, bitter stuff, but if anything, that went a long way to prove that taste was a matter of environment, not genetics. 

“Hello, brother!”

Hordak’s ears twitched, but he only grunted in acknowledgment. He didn’t have the patience for him at the moment, intent on seeking out Entrapta instead. She’d declined her place at the bargaining table, saying she was busy studying the tech they’d scavenged from Prime’s towers.

As he walked away, he heard Bow say, “Hey, Kadroh. You look a little...worn down. Have you slept?”

“Oh, yes. Many times!” Kadroh, as ever, sounded excited to be asked.

Hordak shook his head with a soft huff as he turned the corner, out of earshot of their conversation. He knocked on Entrapta’s door. He waited for an invitation to enter, but none was forthcoming. “Entrapta?”

A crash from inside the room caused him to eye the door with alarm, until she threw it open with her hair and pulled him inside. His features softened and he smiled at her as she busily worked on a piece of tech. “That was fast. Did you guys work out a treaty already?”

He stood behind her, admiring her work. “Hardly. It’s been five hours, and we’ve made no progress. We’re breaking for lunch. I came to see if you wanted food.”

“Five hours—?! Oh, wow, I didn’t even notice. I’ll have lunch with you. Just give me one more minute.” She drew out the last sentence, and he smiled, putting his hands behind his back to resist running his fingers through the tendrils of hair tugging at his arms. 

“You’re busy. I’ll bring you a plate.”

“Are you sure?

“Your work is important. I wouldn’t want to interrupt you.”

“It’s not...important,” she muttered, “I mean. All scientific discovery is important, but I’m not working on anything in particular. Just...figuring out this cute little chip’s secrets!” She held it up for him to examine. “Isn’t it adorable?”

He leaned close, studying it critically. “I have no means of judging that, so I’ll trust your expertise.”

She looked at him. “Do they have tiny food?”

“They do.”

“And you’ll really bring me some?”

“I will.”

Her smile was radiant, and something in him softened. “Thank you.” He nodded, gently squeezing the rope of hair that took his hand. He turned to leave, already more relaxed and at ease than he’d been when he entered. “Oh, Hordak?” He paused. “Will you bring Kadroh in too? I think it’s been a while since I’ve checked on him, and I want to make sure he’s doing okay.”

If Hordak’s ears drooped, he could at least be consoled that Entrapta didn’t notice. “I’ll bring you whatever you ask for.”

“Kadroh and a plate of tiny foods should be sufficient!” She paused. “Oh, and maybe a fizzy drink?”

“Of course.”

He left, hearts heavier than they had been. He entered the hall where the staff had laid out food for the gathered dignitaries, though none he saw were especially dignified. He withheld a sigh and sought out his brother. 

Of course he was at the head table with the queen and her retinue. He allowed himself a soft growl, then made his way toward them. He ignored the way their talk ceased at his approach. Except Kadroh, who waved at him. “Hello, brother!”

He withheld a sigh and offered a nod, trying to be patient for Entrapta’s sake. “I came to see if you would join Entrapta and me for lunch.”

“Why doesn’t Geek Princess come out here and join us?” the Salineas Princess asked, watching him with hostile eyes. “I thought she was part of the Alliance. Or did she switch sides? Again.”

The man at her side laughed nervously, leaning close to say something in her ear, while everyone else stilled. Catra shut her eyes, covering her face with one hand. Hordak clasped his hands behind his back, claws digging into his wrists. “Perhaps she would join you more readily if you didn’t call her degrading names.”

The princess sat upright, as if she’d been slapped. “Hey! That’s not—it’s just a nickname!”

“And this is just a luncheon. If you consider her absence a slight, then I suggest you speak to her about it rather than trading words with me.” He looked down at Kadroh, intent on leaving, only to find he’d nodded off. His ears twitched, and he glanced at the others for an explanation, but they were obviously as confused as he was.

Bow leaned forward in his seat, reaching for Kadroh. “Hey, buddy, you doing—“

Hordak caught his hand. “That’s an excellent way to get bitten.” He blanched, pulling his hand back hurriedly. “Kadroh?” His ear twitched, but he showed no signs of waking. Hordak straightened, his arms crossed. “Has he been ill? Behaving oddly?”

Bow and Adora shared a look. “Well...”

“He’s, uh, been a little...off?”

“But he’s always like that,” Catra added.

Hordak huffed, annoyed. “Brother, wake up.”

Nothing. Bracing himself—and closing his hand into a fist so he didn’t risk losing a finger—he jostled Kadroh’s shoulder, rousing him. 

Thankfully, Kadroh did not try biting him. He just gasped, sitting upright. “I’m sorry!”

Hordak’s ears folded back as he crossed his arms. “For what?”

“I—“ Kadroh looked at the others and at Hordak, then he lowered his gaze and shrugged. “It’s rude, isn’t it? To fall asleep in public.” His ears were drooping and when he reached for the coffee mug, his hands were shaking.

Hordak pushed the mug out of reach, starting to piece a few things together.

“I wouldn’t know. Brother, how long has it been since you last slept?”

“Just barely a minute now.”

Hordak sighed. “True sleep, Kadroh. Extended sleep. For at least a few hours.”

“Oh.” He shrugged nervously. “I think...three days?”

Catra swore and Bow leaned forward. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

His claws plucked at the tablecloth and his ears drooped. “What’s it called when dreams are...bad?”

“Nightmares?” Bow said. 

“Oh! Oh, that’s a good name! I like that—well, I don’t like them, but that is a very fitting name.”

“You’re having nightmares bad enough that you have been deliberately dosing yourself with caffeine in order to avoid them?” Hordak asked, ears folded back. K adroh shrugged, ears lowered and features faintly flushed. Hordak sighed. “About what?”

Kadroh traced patterns on the tabletop with a claw. “I keep seeing them. The people I’ve killed. The ones I chipped so they would serve....” He shivered. “Brother.” He looked up at him. “How do you deal with it? With what...what he used us for? With what you’ve done?”

Hordak was very conscious of the Etherians’ eyes on him. “Come with me.” He turned, expecting Kadroh to follow. 

Behind him, he heard someone say, softly, “You don’t have to go. You can talk to us about it.”

Kadroh hesitated. “Thank you, friends, but...I think you would not understand.”

“Hey, we were chipped,” the Salineas Princess said. “We get it.”

Hordak stopped. An acidic retort came to him, but Kadroh stood and, head bowed, replied, “With respect, I don’t believe you do. Being chipped is not the same as....as....” He floundered looking lost.

Hordak finished the thought for him. “It is not the same as being created for the sole purpose of serving Prime, or being conditioned from the time you draw your first breath to believe that your only value is in how well you serve him. There is also the matter of time. How long did you serve, brother?”

The Etherians watched him and their eyes went wide when he said, “I don’t know. I think a long time. My memories are fuzzy, but I believe I have conquered many worlds in his name.” He shivered again, hugging himself. 

“Come,” Hordak said again. “Entrapta expects us.”

Meekly, Kadroh followed as Hordak collected food and a fizzy drink for Entrapta. For them, he grabbed a pitcher of water and pushed it into Kadroh’s hands, saying, “You are likely dehydrated. You will drink water.”

Kadroh nodded solemnly, hugging the pitcher to his chest. He trailed behind Hordak as they left the hall and obediently knocked on Entrapta’s door when they arrived, since Hordak’s hands were full.

“Come in!” They entered, and she greeted them without turning. “Thanks for bringing food! I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until you mentioned it. Just give...me...one...second....” She drew the words out, as if buying herself more time before she had to turn. Unable to help it, Hordak smiled softly, setting the plate of food within her reach. She looked up briefly. “Ooh, blinis!”

“I will get more if you need more,” he assured her, then he eyed Kadroh. “I brought Kadroh—“

“Oh, right!” She looked at the chip. “I’m almost...done....”

“He has been having nightmares.”

She set the chip down and jumped off the seat she’d made of her hair. “Karoh?” She stopped in front of him, using her hair to raise herself to his height. “Are you okay?”

He looked at Hordak. “Is this another polite question?”

“No. Entrapta does not ask meaningless questions. She expects an honest answer.”

“Oh.”

They waited. When it became clear Kadroh didn’t want to answer, Hordak sighed and said, “He’s been drinking coffee to keep from sleeping because of the severity of his nightmares.”

“Oh, Kadroh....” She hesitated, then took his hand, guiding him over to her bed, where they both sat down. “You can come talk to me or Hordak if you need help.”

“I didn’t think there was anything you could do. They’re just...bad dreams. How do you fix that?” He curled up as he said it, drawing his knees toward his chest. 

Hordak grunted. “Not by abusing caffeine—“ Entrapta turned and gave him a look. Hordak winced. “I mean that delaying or disrupting your sleep patterns will make it worse, not better.”

“Worse?!”

Entrapta’s hair wrapped around his shoulders. A stray rope grabbed Hordak’s hand and tugged him toward the bed. He fought it briefly, but his hearts weren’t in it. He allowed himself to be pulled over and pushed onto the bed, on Kadroh’s other side. He sat stiff and still beside him, his arms crossed.

“We’ll figure out a way to help. Right, Hordak?”

He glanced at her, then sighed heavily. “Nightmares are common among the soldiers, particularly when they’ve returned from combat in the frontlines. There are medications that help, though I’m not sure if they’re compatible with our biology. I am also given to understand that there are certain kinds of therapy that can help. I will look into the matter—“

Kadroh was hugging him. Hordak sighed, looking at Entrapta, who just smiled at him. His ears folded back, but he didn’t push Kadroh away. “Talking about it can help too,” she said. “We’re here for you. We’ll listen.”

“Thank you,” Kadroh said, his voice thick. Hordak looked down at him, eyes widening when he saw that Kadroh was crying. “I’m. I’m glad to be free. I don’t want to go back to the way things were. But being apart from the Hivemind....” His grip on Hordak tightened. “Sometimes, I just feel so alone.”

Hordak looked at Entrapta, feeling a little panicked—he had no idea what he was supposed to do now. She just ran her hand up and down Kadroh’s back. “It’s okay. You’re not alone. We’re here.” She looked at Hordak, her expression encouraging.

He cleared his throat, carefully extracting one arm from Kadroh’s hold so he could lay it over his upper back, squeezing his shoulder. “Yes. We are here. You may....” He glanced at Entrapta, who nodded. “You may talk to us about these things. We will do what we can to help, even if it is just listening.”

His ears drew down when Kadroh started snoring softly. He looked at Entrapta, still not sure what to do. “Why don’t we lay him down?” she suggested. Hordak tried to shift him onto the bed and into a more comfortable position, but even in sleep, he wouldn’t release his hold. 

“He is clinging to me.”

“I know! It’s so cute!”

He growled softly. “I am not a teddy bear!” He looked down at Kadroh. “But I can stay until it’s time for the delegates to meet again.”

To his surprise, Entrapta leaned over Kadroh to kiss Hordak on the cheek. “Thank you.”

He blinked, feeling his cheeks grow hot. “For—what?”

“Being a good brother. I think he needs one.”

“I.” He looked between her and Kadroh. “I am not. I don’t know how to....” His ears folded back. “I was not designed for this, and I was never very good at even the things I was specifically designed for. How am I supposed to...?”

“You are more than what he made you for. So much more.”

He swallowed, looking away. “I.” His chest felt tight. “I am trying.”

Her smile was brilliant and, somehow, having Kadroh’s arms around him began to feel...nice. 

Later, when Adora knocked on their door, they managed to maneuver Kadroh off of Hordak and onto the bed. “I’ll look after him. Good luck at your meeting.”

He nodded, privately wishing she could be at his side, but he knew that this wasn’t her strength. Besides, Kadroh would not want to be alone if he woke. In the hallway, he and Adora walked back together. She glanced at him, fidgeting nervously. “Is Kadroh okay?”

“He is sleeping. Entrapta will be there if he has any nightmares.”

“...you, um, you didn’t just drug him, right?”

His ears folded back. “He fell asleep naturally. I would not have sedated him; who knows how that would have interacted with the caffeine.”

“Sorry. It’s just...you’re not very....” He crossed his arms and looked down at her, waiting. She rubbed the back of her neck. “Never mind. You know what? Entrapta talked him through an existential crisis, I’m sure she can take care of this.”

He huffed and turned away. Neither of them spoke again until they reached the conference room. They paused in the doorway. The others were already gathered, but—

“Uh. Scorpia? I think you’re on the wrong side of the table.” She was seated a space away from Catra, claws folded neatly in front of her. 

“No. No, I’ve, uh. I’ve been thinking.” Scorpia scratched the back of her neck. “I remember some of the things my moms used to say. About the times before the war, and uh...I think I’d also like to get some of the things Lord Hordak is asking for in writing.”

“Scorpia,” Glimmer said, “that’s all just Horde Propaganda.”

“Good! I mean? Then you won’t mind putting it in the treaty, right?”

Glimmer threw up her hands. “Oh for—! Fine! Fine, we’ll put it in.” She glared at Hordak. “It’s completely unnecessary, and I can’t believe you’re making such a big deal out of this. Why? What do you even gain? Are you just trying to make us doubt each other? Doubt ourselves?”

Lifting his chin, Hordak walked toward Scorpia and Catra’s side of the table, giving them each a nod of acknowledgement before sitting between them. “I am making a ‘big deal’ out of it because when I allied myself to King Scorpio, I promised him that we would bring about a society of equals.” He exhaled slowly. “I was...misguided. He, however, was very earnest in his beliefs. Very hopeful.”

Scorpia nodded. “Granddad was a good man. That’s why my mom named me after him.”

“Yes. I owe him this much, at least.”

Everyone was quiet for a few breaths, then Adora cleared her throat. “Let’s, uh. Let’s get started then. All in favor to add the requested clauses to the treaty?”

Hordak and his former force captains raised their hands. Glimmer raised hers. The others followed shortly after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional headcanon: King Scorpio totally had a thing for Hordak, but the grumpy spacebat was too focused on returning to Prime to notice.


	16. Nanomachines (humor, fluff, minor existential horror)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No love like mad scientist love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I really cannot think of anything to tag.

Hordak gingerly took a seat at the council table in Bright Moon. He was still somewhat uneasy in Bright Moon’s halls, but he was glad to be here—with Entrapta—to consult on a matter of scientific interest, rather than something political. He had had enough of politics.

Then again, he should have known that even a scientific inquiry would begin to devolve. It was inevitable with this group. Entrapta had lost interest in the conversation long ago—it was a matter of biology, not robotics, and she could only feign interest for so long—and he was currently trying very hard to maintain a neutral expression while she kept passing him her data pad to share her ‘notes’ on the meeting—a series of increasingly absurd doodles. 

Then he heard his name, and he pushed the data pad back at Entrapta. “I beg your pardon—Entrapta and I were...”

“Flirting?” Catra said, though she looked just as bored as Entrapta.

“I was sharing my drawings!” Entrapta said brightly, turning her data pad around so the other princesses could see. They leaned close, and Catra started laughing. Scorpia just cocked her head and traded a look with Perfuma, who shrugged, while Bow and Adora sighed.

Mermista groaned. “Ugh. Why are you two even here?”

“The She-Ra asked us to come.”

“Um. ‘Adora’ is fine, Hordak. And I thought you two might be able to help? You are both—“ She gestured vaguely. “—science people.” She looked at them expectantly. “You must have something to say...?”

He and Entrapta shared a look, and she went back to her doodles. He shrugged. “I’m not sure what you expect us to do. Entrapta’s interest is in robotics—“

“And xenobiology!”

He took a breath, thankful that he did not blush at that. “—and though I am not as highly specialized, I’m afraid my research into cybernetics, cloning, and related fields is as useful in this situation. That is to say not at all. We don’t know anything about environmental restoration. We will be happy to help revive the Fright Zone, but I’m afraid Princess Perfuma is better equipped to aid Princess Scorpia than we are.”

“Oh, come on! You built robots that made more robots if I cut them in half! You seriously can’t do something like that with plants?”

His ears folded back. “That technology was extremely ill advised. It was a...grievous mistake to deploy it in the first place. If I had gotten it wrong....” He cleared his throat, crossing his arms as he looked away. “Well. The nanobots use the base elements in their environment to rebuild the larger structure they’re part of. Theoretically, they could have endlessly replicated themselves until Etheria itself was nothing but robots. It’s why I limited their functionality to the degree that I did. I wanted to conquer Etheria, not destroy it.”

Everyone was staring at him in horror. Even Catra’s eyes had gone wide. “For fuck’s sake, Hordak—you didn’t tell me that!”

“It was a mistake.”

“Why would you—?” Bow asked, looking lost. “We could have—? I need to sit down.” He was already sitting, but seemed to feel sitting on the floor was a better option.

“I am—I’m sorry,” Hordak said, wincing. “I thought that Entrapta had betrayed me and was currently deploying her own tech against us. I felt I had something to prove.”

“Oh for—“ Catra leaned forward. “Are you kidding me? You deployed tech that could have destroyed the entire world because you wanted to get back at your girlfriend?”

He glared at her. “First, I don’t believe you get to criticize me for reckless acts that risk the world out of a misplaced need for revenge against a loved one. Second, the nanobots worked as intended. Nothing was destroyed—more than the anticipated destruction, that is. And finally, you misunderstand my motives entirely.”

Catra blinked. Then she groaned. “Don’t tell me you were showing off. That’s even worse! You two are so weird—!”

He had not noticed the hair coiling around his chair, until Entrapta jerked it around so that he was facing her. Her face was hidden behind her welding mask, the insect-like goggles glowing red. “You. Made. Nanobots. And you didn’t _tell_ _me_?!” Additional strands of hair whipped around her head, twisting and coiling. With the support of her hair, she loomed over him, fierce and magnificent. 

“I—“

Mermista, suddenly interested, took her feet off the table and leaned forward. “This oughta be good.”

“—I did not tell you because, at the time, I thought you’d been in the field to see. And later, it seemed...unimportant.”

“You. Forgot. You created self-regenerating nanobots and you forgot to _tell me about it?!_ But we’re lab partners!”

He swallowed. “I...still have the data?” It seemed such a paltry offering in the face of what seemed like god-like fury. Or enthusiasm. It was difficult to tell. 

She leaned close, and when she lifted her mask, she held his face in her hands. “Did you really make them for me?”

His ears flexed, and he could feel the heat in his cheeks as he flushed. “I.” He swallowed. “I wanted you to see them and know that I could match you. I wanted to be a worthy foe, if I could not have you at my side.”

She kissed him—hard. The crest of hair on his head rose all at once, and he was dizzy with joy when she pulled away and leveled her gaze on him. Her thumb and forefinger held his chin in place. “Hordak. Show me the tiny robots.”

“Anything you ask.”

He stood, half carried from the room by enthusiastic ropes of her hair. 

-

“What did—? That just happened, right?” Adora asked. 

Mermista groaned. “Ugh! What was that? I thought she was mad at him?!”

“Is he...okay” Bow asked, standing up. “She’s not gonna hurt him, right?”

Catra snorted. “Please. He’s exactly where he wants to be.” 

“They’re so cute!” Scorpia said, clasping Perfuma’s hands in her claws. “Do you they’ll let us plan the wedding?”

“Gross!” Mermista interjected. 

It was Glimmer who finally silenced the group. “Am I the only one concerned that those two could destroy the world because Entrapta asked to see the tiny robots?”

There was a pause. 

“Oh.”

“Oh. _Shit_.”

There was a mad dash for the door, and a chorus of voices calling for the departing scientists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:...so was I the only one wondering wtf was up with the self-replicating robots?


	17. Stupid Sexy Hordak (Mature content, fluff, smut, humor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a few years since the war ended. Everyone is settled in.
> 
> And a few people are starting to notice that Hordak does possess a...certain appeal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning! Explicit Content!**
> 
> Content warning: Sexy Hordak hours ahead! Only the last few sections become explicit, so stop reading when we get to Sea Hawk’s POV if you want to avoid the following—“open” relationship Seamista, accidental voyeurism, implied exhibitionism, teasing, dirty talk, dom!Entrapta, sub!Hordak, dubcon (though you can go ahead and assume the two of them discussed this scene ahead of time, they probably didn’t intend for Mermista to actually overhear them, teasing aside).
> 
> The first few sections with Bow, Scorpia, and Perfuma are not sexual. They’re actually designed to explore other aspects aside from sexuality that cause a person to feel attraction.

Bow looked at Sea Hawk, who seemed distracted. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Hm? Oh! Yes! Yes, I am perfectly fine! Just...” He looked over at Hordak and Entrapta, who were sitting under a beach umbrella a few meters away. “Have you ever...?” Sea Hawk swallowed. “Have you ever noticed that Entrapta is a, um, a very lucky woman?”

Bow blinked. “Huh?” Entrapta laughed, then, leaned close to Hordak. Bow’s eyes widened, watching as Hordak’s features softened. He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles while she giggled. “Oh.” Hordak and Entrapta regarded each other with open affection, their fingers entwined. “Um.” Bow cleared his throat. “Not. Until now.”

-

Bow and Scorpia were seated at a formal luncheon, talking amiably, when Bow suddenly stiffened. Scorpia’s brows furrowed. “Bow?”

“Nothing! It’s...nothing,” he squeaked, sliding lower and lower in his seat, as if hoping to go unnoticed. 

Scorpia followed his gaze, then frowned, seeing Hordak and Entrapta. “Bow,” she said, lowering her voice, “I thought you were better than that! Hordak’s been helping! And he obviously adores Entrapta—“

“It’s not. That.” Bow swallowed. He looked around them, then lowered his voice. “Have you ever noticed that...?” He straightened. “You know what? Never mind.”

Scorpia stared at him. “Oookay.”

His eyes went wide. “I’m. I’m gonna go get some punch!” He darted away from the table, and Scorpia couldn’t figure out why until Hordak and Entrapta appeared beside her. 

Entrapta greeted her with her customary enthusiasm, while Hordak offered a simple nod. Neither of them were fond of hugs, so Scorpia just clutched her claws, resisting the urge. “I’m so glad you guys were able to come,” she said, smiling. Entrapta was in her customary overalls—a formal lunch was no reason to change out of her work gear—and Hordak was—

Scorpia swallowed, realizing that Hordak was not in his customary outfit. Or his armor. Her throat clicked as she swallowed, mouth dry. Without the armor, the figure he cut was not as intimidating, and his makeup was softer too—a smokey eye, rather than a pure black shadow. The dress he wore was black, of course, but it too was different—lacy sleeves stretched to his elbows, and the hem fell above his knees. A set of strappy sandals that laced up his calves accentuated his long, muscular legs. Scorpia could feel her face growing hot.

“You’re not wearing your armor,” she blurted out. 

Entrapta beamed, spinning Hordak around—and unintentionally showcasing his back. The dress was open down to his lower back, covered only by the same lace that encased his arms. Scorpia could not help but notice that, though the edges were rough, the white pattern across his upper back was heart-shaped. 

Oh. _No_.

Entrapta babbled about something—an implant that eliminated Hordak’s need for the armor, Scorpia thought—but she was having trouble focusing on anything other than the elegant curve of his hips. She nodded mutely while Entrapta talked, thankful when they left to talk to Catra and Adora. When Bow returned, she leaned close. “Bow. Listen. I’m gay, but Hordak—“

“I know. Have you seen the way he looks at Entrapta?”

“Have you seen his legs?”

They both dared a quick glance, then exhaled slowly. “I am happily married,” Bow said firmly.

“Oh, yeah. Me too.”

They shared a look, eyes wide and just a little panicked. “This doesn’t mean anything, right?”

“No!” Scorpia said, “No, of course not. It’s just.” She swallowed. “We’re just happy for Entrapta. Right?”

“Right!”

They exhaled slowly. “And not jealous,” Bow added.

“Not at all!” Scorpia agreed.

She dared another quick look, before taking a long drink.

-

Perfuma was walking in the gardens at Bright Moon, enjoying the spring sun, when she unexpectedly encountered Hordak. “Ah. My...apologies,” he said, standing. “I’ll leave you—“

“Oh, no! You don’t have to leave!” she said, trying to be nice. She smiled. “The gardens are for everyone, right?” He regarded her hesitantly, then nodded, folding his arms behind his back. He looked everywhere but at her as she came to stand beside him. “Were you enjoying the flowers?”

He glanced at her. “I was...taking a moment. It is peaceful. Out here.”

“Oh, yes. Very peaceful.” They were quiet, for a time, and Perfuma found herself glancing at him. He seemed younger than she’d always assumed him to be. “You know, I wouldn’t have expected to find you out here.” He looked at her, and his ears twitched. Her mouth curled into a smile, seeing that. “Appreciating the flowers.”

He lowered his head in an abbreviated bow. “Yes. Entrapta has been encouraging me to find value in things that are not ‘useful’ in the traditional sense.” His ears drew back. “Horde Prime had a preferred aesthetic he liked to enforce. Anything that did not suit that aesthetic was...discarded.” He ran the back of his claw over the thorns of a rose. “Finding such imperfections in nature is...pleasant.”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward in a subtle smile, even as he drew his hand back. She clutched the folds of fabric at her neckline. “Oh. Well. That’s—that’s almost poetic.”

He turned to her, soft smile still in place. “Entrapta says imperfections are beautiful. I am merely taking her words to heart.” She nodded mutely, and he looked past her shoulder. “Excuse me. It seems I am needed elsewhere.” He slipped past, footsteps quiet. 

She watched him leave, not expecting to feel a little prick of... _something_ as Entrapta greeted him at the gardens’ entrance. She shook her head, pushing those feelings away. Instead, she swallowed hard and began meditating on her surroundings, grounding herself in the present. 

And if she took particular pleasure in noting the little imperfections all around her...well. That had nothing to do with Hordak, of all people. 

-

Sea Hawk approached his wife with metaphorical hat in hand. “My darling. My dearest. My sun and moon. My stars—“

“What do you want?” She did not look up from her book.

He rocked on his toes. “I would like to add someone to my list.” 

Now she looked up, snapping the book closed. “Okay. I’m listening.”

Each of them had a list of potential partners that were pre-approved, should they spontaneously propose any kind of sexual activity. Both of them were comfortable with the other venturing outside the marriage, but they’d agreed that they could only engage with people on their respective lists without getting their partner’s agreement ahead of time. He raised his hands. “Don’t be upset.”

“Why would I be upset?”

He flexed his toes, rocking again. “Well.” He cleared his throat. “I....” He hesitated. “It is purely physical, my love. I have no feelings for him at all, I swear! But...I...would like to add Hordak to my list.”

She sat up straight. “What?!”

He flinched. “He—“

“He destroyed my kingdom! _Our_ kingdom! And you want to screw him?!”

“It is purely physical, my love!”

“Then pick another clone! There’s, like, a million of them!”

He winced. “Perhaps it is not...purely physical.”

“No.”

“My darling, please—“

“No.”

“But—“

“No.”

“...will you at least consider it?”  She glared at him. He sighed. “Fine. I retract my request,” he said, put out. 

-

Mermista glared, watching as Hordak and Entrapta ducked out of the room. He had no right to be here. Why did Entrapta insist on dragging him everywhere? As far as Mermista was concerned, he should be glad they didn’t toss him in a windowless prison, and he should show that gratitude by never letting her see his face ever again. 

She huffed, leaning her chin on her elbow. They definitely had the right idea, though—this ‘party’ was so boring she could barely keep her eyes open. With a groan, she stood and followed them out of the room, deciding to stretch her legs. Entrapta and Hordak were nowhere in sight, which was fine by her. She walked down one of the abandoned hallways, wondering if she could—

She heard something clatter further down the hall, around the corner. The hair along the back of her neck lifted, and she raised her hand, beginning to gather the moisture from the air in preparation for a fight. As she grew closer, her steps grew more hesitant, and she lowered her hand slowly, starting to blush.

“No,” a masculine voice hissed, “Stop that! We cannot.”

A giggle followed. “You want to, though. I can tell.” A low moan was quickly cut off. “Oh, don’t do that—I want to hear you.”

Mermista could hear heavy breathing and scuffling. Then another moan, not cut off this time. “You.” The masculine voice was shaky now, growing desperate. “Are killing me. Please, Entrapta—“ He whined, and Mermista covered her mouth, eyes wide. 

“Are you begging me to stop? Or to keep going?”

“I—“ Another breathy whimper. “Not. Not here, please. Someone could see.”

“You’d like that, though, wouldn’t you?”

“No. I would not—“ A strange little trill cut him off. “Entrapta.” He said her name like a plea, and Mermista pressed her thighs together, swallowing hard as she tried not to imagine the scene she might find if she rounded the corner. 

Voice pitched low and throaty, Entrapta murmured, “Let them see. I want them to know how beautiful you are like this. I want them to know what I do to you.”

“Entrapta, _please_ —!”

“You’re so good for me.” Another little chirp answered her. “Maybe you’re right, though. Maybe we shouldn’t do this here. If any of them saw you like this....” T hey kissed. Mermista saw it vividly in her mind’s eye—Hordak pressed against the wall, held in place by Entrapta’s hair, one of her hands sliding under his dress, the other cupping his jaw as she kissed him. “They’d want you for themselves,” she finished. 

It was all too much for Mermista. She turned tail and fled, returning to the party, and desperately hoping no one would notice her blush in the dim light. 

Of course Sea Hawk would. He leaned close. “My love?”

She shook her head, mute. She watched the door for the rest of the night, waiting to see if Hordak and Entrapta would return—and in what state. 

They never did.

-

Sea Hawk climbed into bed beside his wife, settling down with his head on her lap while she continued to read. Idly, she reached down and toyed with his hair, running her fingers through it. He smiled and shut his eyes, content. 

“So.” Mermista didn’t look up from her book. “About the list.”

Sea Hawk sighed, eyes shut. “Don’t let it upset you, my dear. It was nothing. Just a passing fancy—“

“I want to add Hordak to it.”

Sea Hawk’s eyes snapped open. He tried to sit up, but Mermista’s palm pressed against the side of his head, gently holding him down. “You want...?”

“If you add him to yours, then I’m adding him to mine.”

Sea Hawk swallowed, squirming a little. “Of course, my dearest. That seems fair.”

“Good.”

She continued to read. No longer settled, Sea Hawk raised his hand, squeezing Mermista’s thigh. “My love...do you think...we could both have him at once?”

The book snapped closed. 

**Author's Note:**

> My She-Ra tumblr is @spacebatisluvd. You can probably guess that it’s mostly Entrapdak and Hordak-related content being reblogged over there.


End file.
